Black Friday

Because my game  is about a mad rush to the top, and the competition comes primarily from the prospect of players getting in each other's way of success, Black Friday comes to mind, as an atmosphere where strangers who have no relationship with one another, suddenly recognize their roles as opponents and because of a time sensitive goal (getting the last supply of items at bargain price).
People who have no relationship with one another who suddenly come to exist in a claustrophobic space with a design that isn't made to accommodate that large amount of people unofficially brands people as opponents.