Better Lifestyle: Rock Star or Sports Star?
Growing up, a lot of kids dream about hitting that game-winning shot as the clock winds down to zero. Listening to the roar of the crowd as you hoist that glossy championship trophy above your head is the real deal.
Anyone who grew up watching legends of sport like Michael Jordan or Peyton Manning can't help it, they need to be sports stars when they get older.
Sports star isn't the only lavish lifestyle around. Rock stars have it pretty good themselves.
Opulent parties, swimming pools filled with Moscato, sold-out arenas, it doesn't get much better than that. Although both lifestyles are amazing, we figured why not look at the tale of the tape and see which one is actually better.
Using a few homemade categories, it's time to find out once and for all what lifestyle is better.
Better Fans
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Fans are the biggest common denominator shared between athletes and rock stars. But in this battle of who has the "better" ones, there can only be one winner.
Musicians and fans share this unbreakable bond. They can pretty much do whatever they want and you can bet the barn that their fans will always swoon to their melodies.
Professional sports, on the other hand, are notorious for having rabid fanbases that are unforgiving. Throw an interception in the playoffs that costs your team the game? Watch the overlords on Twitter tear you down.
So, who's the winner? Click the next slide to find out.
Winner: Rock Stars
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Crooners always get the most out of their fans, unlike sports stars, who are always under a microscope. For that reason, when we're talking about fans, it's definitely better to be a musician.
Endorsement Deals
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Endorsements deals run amok between athletes and rock stars. For these guys, a ton of their loot actually comes by supporting products.
In terms of lifestyle, this category comes down to one word and one word only: Sneakers.
Kicks, shoes, boots, whatever you choose to call them. Having your own sneaker is the ultimate sign that you've made it. Jordan set the bar with an iconic collection that'll never go out of style and since then the wheels have continued to churn.
I think we all know who's about to win this battle. Click next and let's make it official.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Winner: Sports Stars
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A couple of musicians may have had their own line of kicks—Jay Z, Pharrell Williams and 50 Cent—but most of their stuff pales in comparison. Outside of Kanye West's Yeezy line, athletes always seem to put forth the better product.
On top of that, the money isn't bad either. Just ask Kevin Durant. The 10-year, $300 million deal he signed with Nike is a telling sign where the industry is headed for these types of deals.
Longer Shelf Life
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Who has the longer shelf life between the two lifestyles? That category is a tough one to pick out a real winner.
Legends of their craft will always have exponentially longer shelf lives than their peers. It doesn't matter if we're talking rock stars or athletes. Both of them can always walk into their local Applebee's and be flooded by exalted fans years after they've stopped releasing music or playing a sport.
But do either one have an advantage?
Winner: Tie
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That's why this category has to go down in the record books as a tie. Whether you pluck electric guitar strings on stage or hit home runs for a living, if you're good at it, chances are, like a Twinkie, you'll never go bad.
Cultural Phenomenon
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Who doesn't want to leave their mark on pop culture? The Beatles, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, the list goes on and on. History is riddled with athletes and rock stars.
Having an effect on culture isn't always reserved for the great ones.
Bobby Shmurda released the most important dance of 2014. Johnny Manziel became a legend on social media. And to this day, there are people out there who still believe that Tim Tebow should be a starting quarterback in the NFL, despite not being able to hit the broad side of a barn with a football.
Looking at this question with a long-term lens, there can only be one true winner. You know the drill by now. Check out the next slide to see who that is.
Winner: Rock Stars
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Athletes may have their moments, but rock stars always win out in terms of infusing themselves into culture. There's just something about music that makes it memorable.
A good album stands the test of time, and because of that rock stars narrowly take this category over the sports stars.
Conclusion
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So what's better? By our calculations, rock stars edge sports stars out by a razor-thing margin.
But in the end, it's all about preference. In American culture, these two lifestyles and the perks that go along with them are dreamt about by kids all over the country. Do you like music? Be a musician. Want to sack Tom Brady and parade around with the Lombardi Trophy? Then being an athlete is the choice for you.
We now ask you, the fans, what would you rather be? A sports star or a rock star? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
