Ah, fan-based derbies. The idea is simple: league games between a small number of rivals double as derby matches, with the winner taking home some silverware. Only derby matches count, so the derby winner isn’t always necessarily the derby team that finishes with the best overall league record.
It’s hardly a foreign concept to the A-League, with two such derbies already in place: Southern Derby (Charleston Battery, Atlanta Silverbacks, TBD (Charlotte in 2003)), and the Voyager's Cup (Vancouver Whitecaps, Calgary Mustangs, Toronto Lynx, Montreal Impact, Edmonton Aviators).
From time to time (usually in the off-season), there has been discussion of instituting such a derby for the A-League's Pacific Northwest teams. Although the discussion has yet to result in actual hardware being handed out, the fact that the topic comes back every year suggests that there is interest.
The institution of such a derby wouldn't exactly be totally unprecedented. Back in the days of the NASL, Portland and Vancouver contested for the Cascade Cup, and the Mountain Bar Cup was awarded to the winner of the final regular season match between Seattle and Portland.
Of course, the discussion must make one wonder: if such a derby were instituted upon the revival of the Portland Timbers in 2001, who would have won this battle for bragging rights so far? So, the CtR staff has compiled the results from 2001-2003 for your enjoyment.