Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said their rivalry with south coast rivals Southampton was growing.
However, he conceded they must first establish themselves in the Premier League to bridge the gap between the two sides.
Howe's Bournemouth, who won promotion to the top flight in 2015, are currently 15th in the league table ahead of Sunday's home match against 11th-placed Southampton.
The two teams are situated some 31 miles (50 km) apart, but having faced each other six times in league action since 1961, the intense rivalry enjoyed by Southampton and Portsmouth has not developed.