I've lived in NKY for about 15 years.
There used to be a lot of back and forth between UK/UC fans in the mid to late 90s. Since the 2005 NCAA tourney meeting and the Huggins firing, its not near as heated. I hated them when I first got here, but over the years, I have come around to be tolerant of them, even pulling for them if the situation warrants (like, when they played U of L when they were conference mates). They are kind of like Louisville fans, but the situations are different enough that it isnt exactly an apples to apples comparison.
Cincinnati is a pro sports town. Bengals and Reds rule the roost, they dominate the media landscape, If you want to know why the powers that be at U of L are pulling out the stops to stop any kind of NBA, taking a backseat to a pro team has to be one of the main reasons. the alumni bases in greater CIncinnati include not only UC,, but sizable ones also exist for XU, UK, Ohio St, Miami (OH),and a lesser extent, Ohio U, IU (in SE Indiana) and U of L (in NKY) . The firing of Huggins and then a year of lame duck status of Andy Kennedy as interim coach before Cronin came on board KILLED recruiting. They really didnt get good again until 4-5 years ago. Plus, Huggins was extremely popular, believe it or not, among many heavy hitters in the Cincinnati community. His unceremonious exit did not sit well with most.