We round up diehard sports fans from Jack Nicholson to Alyssa Milano
Sports and crazy sports fans go hand-in-hand. You know the ones: season-ticket holders who don't miss a game, their faces painted in team colours, eager to share even the most trivial of tidbits, like a player's favourite laundry detergent or their maternal grandmother's birthday. Surprising or not, there are quite a few celebs who claim a spot among this kooky group as they watch from the best seats in the house. To honour those who bleed for their team, we round up 10 of the biggest celebrity sports fanatics.
Michael Keaton
Acting is a busy business, but diehard sports fans always make time for their favourite team. That's why Michael Keaton gets a leave from set to watch the Pittsburgh Pirates in the postseason -- he actually demands it in his movie contracts. "They thought I was kidding," Keaton told USA Today in 2011 of negotiations for 1989's Batman. "I wasn't."
Jack Nicholson
A season-ticket holder since the 1970s, Jack Nicholson is as synonymous with the Los Angeles Lakers as the players on the court. Another star whose fandom affects his job, he's known to work around the Lakers season. If you've ever been to L.A.'s home court, there's a very good chance you've been in the presence of this acting great. Other celebs who cheer in purple and gold: Jonah Hill, Will Ferrell, and Courtney Cox.
Bill Nye the Science Guy
He's not just a fan of science, or of Dancing with the Stars. Bill Nye also loves his baseball, though his allegiance is a bit divided. "I'm a Mariners fan, and I'm a Dodger fan. But deep down, I'm a Nationals fan, since I grew up in Washington," he told the Washington Post in 2009. "It's your hometown, your civic pride, and these people become a bit of your family. You know their names, you know what they look like, you recognize them by how they walk, you share their joys and sorrows."
Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd's passion for sport isn't in the major leagues, though she can be seen among the crowds of students at the University of Kentucky Wildcat basketball games in her blue gear. She's written an essay on the team, visits the players after court play, and even performed what was reportedly a Wildcats cheerleading routine in the film Someone Like You.
Vince Vaughn
Vaughn may not negotiate time off for sports in his movie contracts, but he does parade his favourites on camera. Just tune in to The Break-Up or Wedding Crashers to see his passion for the Chicago Cubs. But baseball isn't enough for Vaughn, who also flaunts a Blackhawks jersey. He told Jay Leno last year, he "bet his heart" on the team to win, but couldn't bet money. "Other teams I could do that but not with my Blackhawks," he said. "That's my team."
Will Smith
Will Smith loves all Philly teams, but the Philadelphia 76ers take the cake. He even bought a stake in the basketball franchise back in 2011, alongside wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Where does his loyalty come from? The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song may give you a clue; after all, Smith is "West Philadelphia born and raised."
Billy Crystal
Crystal has gone above and beyond most celebrity sports fans. He actually signed a single-day contract with the team and played as a New York Yankee at spring training in 2008. "My life's dream came true: I got to play for the New York Yankees," said Crystal, who grew up watching Mickey Mantle, and is considered an expert on the man in white and navy stripes.
Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Milano proves there are plenty of women ready to give it all for their sports team. As a diehard Los Angeles Dodgers fan, she probably knows more about baseball than the majority of us. In addition to attending most home games as a season-ticket holder, she has her own sports blog and wrote a book about her fandom. Now that's dedication.
Ben Affleck
When you're as big of a Boston Red Sox fan as Ben Affleck, we're guessing the people closest to you either need to get on board or get out. Needless to say, wife Jennifer Garner and best bud Matt Damon have both adopted the Red Sox as their MLB team. The zeal will undoubtedly rub off on Affleck's kids, too; his one-year-old son, Samuel, already sports a Red Sox ball cap.
Spike Lee
But if there's one celeb that tops the list of superfans, it's Spike Lee. His love for the New York Knicks is simply unmatched by other famous fanatics. Who can forget Lee's battle of words with Reggie Miller in the 1994 NBA Playoffs, for example. "I am orange and blue, baby," he told the New York Times last year. "My son is going to be orange and blue, and his son after him. And they are going to bury me in these colors."
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