All-star game

An exception is American football's NFL Pro Bowl, which occurs at the end of the season.

In basketball, there is virtually no defense played until the final quarter; instead, the Australian State of Origin series involves physicality that often leads to on-field scuffles.

Instead of a single game, the event is organized as a four-team knockout tournament, with each team representing one of the league's divisions.

In the United Kingdom, all-star teams are usually denoted with the Roman numeral corresponding to the number of players allowed on the field – for example, a soccer or cricket XI, a rugby league XIII and a rugby union XV.

[1] Initially intended to be a one-time event, its great success resulted in playing the game annually.