They say that all sports athletes want to be musicians and all musicians dream of being famous sports stars. Some have even tried to bridge the two worlds over the years – with some less than memorable results. Let’s just say that athletes should concentrate on toning their muscles rather than their vocal cords.
But we are not suggesting that these two universes can never meet. Athletes have enough money to follow their favorite bands around the world – and date them in the case of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. Musicians and rock stars, on the other hand, have a long history of being very vocal in their support of their favorite teams.
With the NFL and NBA season almost upon us, and baseball being an excellent alternative during the long summer months, we thought we would take a look at some famous names from the world of music who have nailed their colors to the mast and very publicly professed their love and support for a sports team.
Most of these will feature in the daily highlight shows and on any online sportsbook Illinois has to offer. Hopefully the team’s athletes won’t try to show their support in the studio anytime soon!
Snoop Dogg
Snoop’s multiple appearances as an unofficial US Olympic team mascot at the recent games in Paris proved that the legendary rapper will do anything to watch some sports. He is an avid fan of just about any sport you can think of and is regularly spotted wearing the local team’s jersey at his gigs across the world.
If we have to narrow down his allegiances, Snoop has repeatedly shown his love for a number of Los Angeles teams, including the Dodgers, Lakers, and even the USC Trojans. But his strongest affiliation is something a little more leftfield. After watching football with his grandfather as a youngster, Snoop has been a lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers fan.
Bruce Dickinson
A while ago a common pub quiz question concerned Bruce Dickinson’s many activities away from the stage. The long-time Iron Maiden frontman surprised many fans and non-fans alike by becoming a licensed pilot and has also been involved in a number of other ventures including writing and even brewing beer.
When it comes to sports, soccer is Dickinson’s game but he professes not to support any one team in particular. There was a rumor that he was a Chelsea fan as he owned a house near the stadium – and he once flew the Liverpool team to Italy for an important European game. But he went on record to say that he only hoped he brought the EPL team luck and was not a fan of the team.
Eddie Vedder
Let’s come back over the Atlantic and investigate the sporting leanings of Pearl Jam singer, Eddie Vedder. Coming up through the Southern California rock scene, it might be expected that Vedder rooted for one of the big LA teams, or even the Padres as he lived in San Diego as a child.
But before Vedder became something on the West Coast, he was just a little kid in Illinois and that is why he is still a huge Chicago Cubs fan to this day. He is well known for singing songs at the game, as well as the National Anthem, and even once got into a brawl with former White Sox pitcher Jack McDowell in a bar in New Orleans.
Flea
The Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist might have been born in Australia and lived in New York as a young child, but it was when his parents settled in California in his teens that Flea began his love affair with the Los Angeles Lakers. Apparently, he also likes the Rams of the NFL and baseball’s Dodgers.
But it is the basketball court where Flea is most happiest (when he isn’t performing in front of thousands of rock fans, of course). He has held a season ticket since the late 1980s and can regularly be spotted courtside when not on tour, He has even performed a bass-only version of the national anthem before a game and has written songs in honor of a number of famous Lakers.
Jon Bon Jovi
As a New Jersey native, the leader singer of Bon Jovi should really be either a Giants or Jets fan. But it was after a meeting with legendary New England coach Bill Belichick at a Giants game that Jon Bon Jovi started getting behind the Patriots and he is now a fully-fledged supporter of the Massachusetts-based team.
Bon Jovi is a big football fan and even owned a team in the Arena Football League and once tried to buy the Buffalo Bills. But it is the Pats that hold the dearest place in his heart. He has performed a number of times in the home stadium and even owns two New England Patriots Super Bowl rings.
Elton John
When you are a multi-millionaire rock star as well as a sports fan you should probably put your money where your mouth is – and that is exactly what Elton John has done. A fan of Watford soccer club as child, once Elton had made his first millions, he became chairman and director of the club and ploughed cash into the team.
The small team from the outskirts of London made it to the very top of the English soccer pyramid and Elton has since sold – and then re-bought – the club. His lifelong devotion and financial aid were repaid in 2014 when the club named part of the stadium The Sir Elton John Stand. The legendary singer declared that it was “one of the greatest days of his life”.