Poll: War Memorial Stadium Tops List of Burial Wishes for UW Fans

LARAMIE -- Sports fandom is often framed as a lifelong commitment, but for some supporters, it’s something even more permanent. The kind of loyalty that doesn’t just survive bad seasons, relocations, or heartbreak, but quite literally follows them to the grave.

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A new survey of 3,013 sports fans by SportsbookReview.com, a leading sports review site, set out to explore just how deep those allegiances run, asking a surprisingly revealing question:

If given the choice, which stadium would you want your ashes scattered in?

The results paint a picture of the venues fans feel most emotionally tied to and how those connections blur the line between tradition, identity, and ritual. The study also digs into how far supporters would actually go to make it happen, including whether they would bend (or quietly ignore) the rules to secure a final resting place on hallowed ground.

Wyoming sports fans' top choice was:

War Memorial Stadium, Laramie
At 7,220 feet above sea level, War Memorial Stadium tests the lungs of every visiting team that dares to challenge the Cowboys on their home turf. Scattering ashes here reflects a bond with Wyoming football and a venue that has sat proud against the high plains since 1950. The thin air and the loyal fans who embrace the isolation create an environment unlike any other in college football. Brown and gold faithful who made the pilgrimage to Laramie understand that this program earns its toughness from the land itself.

Some of the other top choices around the country were:

Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois 
Standing on the corner of Clark and Addison since 1914, Wrigley Field is more than a ballpark—it's a living monument to baseball itself. For those who waited their whole lives for the curse to break, having ashes scattered here means never leaving the place where faith was finally rewarded. The ivy-covered walls, the manual scoreboard, and the rooftops beyond have witnessed over a century of Cubs history. When that championship finally came in 2016, generations of heartache transformed into unbridled joy.

Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts 
Standing since 1912, Fenway Park isn't just a ballpark—it's a living monument to everything baseball has been and hopes to be. Choosing this as a final resting place means becoming part of the oldest active stadium in Major League Baseball. The Green Monster has watched over more than a century of Red Sox history, from heartbreaking curses to championship euphoria. For those who spent lifetimes loving this team, there's no more fitting place to remain.

Madison Square Garden, New York, New York
They call it the World’s Most Famous Arena, and since 1968, this incarnation of Madison Square Garden has lived up to the name. The Knicks, Rangers, and the biggest names in entertainment have created moments here that define New York itself, and the energy inside these walls carries a weight no other arena can replicate. Even imagining ashes scattered here, purely as a symbolic gesture, reflects a desire to remain part of a venue where, when the Garden is rocking, there’s simply nowhere else on earth you’d rather be.

Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin 
No stadium in professional football carries more history than Lambeau Field, the Frozen Tundra where legends have been made since 1957. Choosing this as a final resting place honors a bond with the only community-owned franchise in the NFL and the fans who treat Packers football as a birthright passed through generations. The Lambeau Leap, the bitter cold, and the championship ghosts that seem to linger on the field make this more than a stadium—it's a shrine. Green Bay is football, and football is Green Bay.

Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California 
Perched in Chavez Ravine since 1962, Dodger Stadium has watched over Los Angeles for more than six decades. The Dodgers have called this place home through eras of triumph and heartbreak, all of it witnessed by fans who return year after year. Something about the way the sun sets behind the outfield pavilions makes even an ordinary game feel cinematic. For those who grew up with this view, scattering ashes here would mean never really leaving the place that felt like a second home.

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Why a Stadium?

When asked what drives this kind of attachment, the answers were telling and deeply human:

• Emotional memories (family, friends, childhood) — 26%
• Lifelong support for a team — 25%
• It would be meaningful for loved ones — 19%
• It feels like a “second home” — 17%
• Symbol of identity / who I am — 13%

Together, they paint a picture of fandom that goes far beyond entertainment. These aren’t just places people visit—they are places people return to, again and again, across decades.

Would Fans Bend the Rules?

The survey also explored how far supporters would go to make this final wish a reality: 23% said they would still consider scattering ashes even if it wasn’t allowed.

Where Would They Choose?

If given the choice of location within a stadium:

• 64% would choose the field or court.
• 32% would prefer outside the stadium
• 4% would opt for the stands

How Would Loved Ones Feel?

Being asked to carry out such a request brings its own emotional weight:

• 30% would feel honored
• 49% would feel comfortable, but unsure how to go about it
• 21% would feel uncomfortable

Should Stadiums Allow It?

Opinion is split, but leans slightly in favor: 54% 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,” says James Bisson, the 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.”

* Freshly Ground Media press release

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