Razorback Stadium and Bud Walton Arena were the top choices of Arkansas sports fans surveyed about the sports venue in which they would prefer to have their ashes scattered.
The survey of more than 3,000 sports fans by sports review site SportsbookReview.com determined the top choices in each state. Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, home of the University of Arkansas football program, was the top choice of those Arkansans surveyed. No. 2 in their preferences was Bud Walton, the home of Razorbacks men’s and women’s basketball and gymnastics, located a few blocks down Razorback Road on the U of A campus.
The number of votes in Arkansas and whether or not other venues in the state were selected was not released.
The survey asked the following question:
If given the choice, which stadium would you want your ashes scattered in?
Other top choices around the country included:
- Wrigley Field, Chicago
- Fenway Park, Boston
- Madison Square Garden, New York
- Lambeau Field, Green Bay
- Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
When asked what drives the attachment to sports venues, the answers included:
- Emotional memories (family, friends, childhood) — 26 percent
- Lifelong support for a team — 25 percent
- It would be meaningful for loved ones — 19 percent
- It feels like a “second home” — 17 percent
- Symbol of identity / who I am — 13 percent
Other questions included:
- Would you bend the rules to scatter ashes at a specific venue? Twenty-three percent would still consider scattering ashes even if it wasn’t allowed.
- Where would you scatter ashes inside a venue if given a choice? Sixty-four percent would choose the field or court; 32 percent would prefer outside the stadium; and 4 percent would opt for the stands.
- How would you feel about being asked to scatter a loved one’s ashes inside (or outside) a sports venue? Forty-nine percent would feel comfortable but unsure how to go about it; 30 percent would feel honored; and 21 percent would feel uncomfortable.
- Should stadiums allow it? Fifty-four percent believe ash-scattering should be allowed in controlled circumstances.
“Sports stadiums are some of the few places left where multiple generations share the exact same emotional experience,” said James Bisson, editor-in-chief of SportsbookReview.com. “What we’re seeing here isn’t just about fandom, it’s about memory, identity and belonging. For many people, these venues represent a constant in their lives, so it’s not surprising that some would want to remain connected to them in a lasting, symbolic way.”
The top choices by state are listed below. States not included did not generate sufficient responses.
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