An urn should reflect a person’s unique identity and interests. And many people around the world consider a specific sport (or sports in general) one of their favorite hobbies.
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If you’re an avid sports fan, you might be considering a sports-themed cremation urn. It might be for your own cremains or for a departed loved one who shared your love of sports when they were alive. And if that’s the case, you’re in luck: you can find an urn for nearly every sport, in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and designs.
Below, we’ll detail the different types of sports-themed display urns so you can make an informed decision.
Tip: If you're looking for something very unique (think a game, their motorcycle, or instrument of choice), you can custom order an urn from a store like Foreverence. You submit a design idea or sketch, then the company designs and 3D prints your urn, so you get a 100% unique container.
Different Types of Sports-Themed Display Urns
There’s a wide and diverse range of sports in the United States and around the world. So it makes sense that there would be a vast variety of sports-themed urns.
No matter what your favorite sport happens to be, you can almost surely find an urn that matches your particular passion. And you can choose from multiple urn types and sizes, too.
1. Hovering helmet urns
If you want to make a statement with your or your loved one’s sports urn, you might consider an eye-catching, hovering-object urn.
One of the most popular options is a hovering and eternally-rotating football or baseball helmet (with your favorite team’s colors and emblem), encased in clear acrylic. But you can also choose a football or another sports-themed object in place of the helmet.
The hovering decoration actually sits on top of a separate cremation container that’s made to match. The cremation container is usually a wooden box, and you can have it engraved with your loved one’s name and other information.
2. Memorabilia display urns
If you already have sports memorabilia, like a signed baseball or football, you can show off your belongings with your urn. A memorabilia display urn usually features a glass or acrylic display case, just like a classic memorabilia display. But rather than just a flat base, the case attaches to or rests on top of a box-shaped urn.
The urn is typically made of hardwood, and it opens from the bottom so you can place the ashes inside. You’ll usually have the option to custom-engrave the box or attach a customized nameplate.
3. Uniquely shaped sports urns
An urn for cremation ashes can be nearly any shape, as long as it has a large enough chamber to hold the ashes.
Because ashes are usually transferred to an urn within a plastic bag, the chamber has to be one contiguous space (you can’t fill up separate, smaller areas within a display urn with ashes). But many sports-related shapes, like helmets and footballs, for example, fit that requirement.
You can find such uniquely-shaped cremation urns online through various retailers. And many Etsy artists and studios offer nearly endless customizability.
4. Small sports-themed urns
Some families choose to hold on to just a small amount of their loved one’s cremated remains and scatter (or bury) the rest. When this is the case, you don’t need a full-sized urn to store the cremains. And a smaller urn can be much more convenient.
If you or your family member are fans of a sport like golf, baseball, or tennis, which center around smaller game balls, you’re in luck. Crafty urn designers have created urns in the shape and size of real-life golf balls, tennis balls, and baseballs.
You can find realistic options that look more or less like actual sports balls. Or you could choose a more sculptural golf ball, tennis ball, or baseball urn that’s life-sized but clearly meant as a decorative centerpiece.
5. Classic urns with sports details
A sports-themed urn doesn’t have to be elaborate in shape or design. If you’d rather go with a classic urn look, you can still display your love of sports. What’s a classic urn, exactly?
A classic urn is vase-shaped, with a wide middle and narrow top and bottom. It’s what you probably think of when you hear the word “urn.” This shape is useful and practical because it can perfectly store the right amount of ashes.
But sports-lovers can adorn such traditional urns with sports-themed placards, bases, and even team colors. Many retailers offer classically-shaped, sports-themed urns made of various materials, like stainless steel and ceramic.
6. Sports-themed urn boxes
Another more simplistic option for sports fans is a sports-themed cremation ash box. You can find box urns made of hardwood, bamboo, and other materials. And the simple shape of a box gives you the widest range of customizability options.
Some sports-themed box urns feature a photographic image of a team logo on the front, along with the person’s name and information. Others include simple etched designs, like a baseball and baseball bat, or elaborately-sculpted metal reliefs.
7. Sports figurine and sculpture urns
There are also box urns and traditional urns that feature unique sports figurines and sculptures on top of the urn itself. In this way, the urn can act as a decorative piece, as well as a container for ashes.
Sculptural elements often include the sports ball, made of painted ceramic or bronze. And a figurine of a player can be added too, often made of bronze.
Just as with traditional urns and box urns, you’ll have the opportunity to customize the engraving or nameplate on your figurine or sculpture urn.
8. Companion sports urns
Two people who share a common love of sports might want to be inurned together in a companion sports urn.
A companion urn is a larger container with separate chambers for storing two individuals’ cremains. And although companion urns are usually used by married couples or partners, siblings, a parent and their child, or even a pair of best friends can also use a companion urn.
If your enjoyment of sports just wouldn’t be the same without your beloved partner, parent or child, or friend, there’s a variety of companion sports urns available.
Different Types of Sports-Themed Cremation Jewelry
If you want a small urn you can carry with you and even wear, sports-themed cremation jewelry might be the right choice.
You can use cremation jewelry in combination with a larger urn, or you can scatter the remainder of the ashes instead.
If you’re considering sports-themed cremation jewelry, here are some of your options.
Tip: Memorial diamonds are created from the ashes of loved ones, and are another beautiful option for keeping someone's memory alive. Some companies, like Eterneva, create lab-grown diamonds and allow you to pick from several cuts and colors for your gemstone.
9. Cremation capsule jewelry with sports details
The simplest and most popular type of cremation jewelry is the capsule pendant. It’s a cylindrical pendant with a loop on top for a chain to thread through, so you can wear it as a necklace.
Capsules are popular because they can hold a relatively large (if still tiny) amount of ashes, and they can be made out of a variety of materials like silver, gold, and stainless steel.
Sports fans can find capsule cremation jewelry that has engraved images, like a football or baseball, on the capsule itself. You can also find capsule jewelry with additional sports-themed charms that match the capsule loop onto the necklace along with it.
10. Sports cremation pendant
Most sports lend themselves well to the art of cremation jewelry. That’s because they feature shapes like sports balls, helmets, and other objects that can easily be made hollow to hold a small amount of ashes.
Online sellers offer a wide variety of uniquely-shaped sports cremation pendants, from football helmets to baseball bats and more. If you love a sport, chances are you can find a unique cremation pendant to match.
A cremation pendant is usually made of stainless steel because it’s easy to mold. But you can also find them in silver and other metals. A pendant features a loop at the top so that you can attach it to a chain, and many come with a chain included.
11. Infused cremation ash pendants
If you want something even more personal and unique, you might want to consider infused cremation ash pendants. These pendants are typically shaped like spheres, and they look like they’re made of glass.
But the glass is actually infused with you’re loved one’s ashes directly, as part of the material.
Infused ash pendants are extremely customizable, and many studios offer intricate designs. The design you choose shows up as an image within the glass of the pendant. Some studios already offer sports-themed images as part of their catalogs. Others allow customers to request unique images and designs.
Like urn-style pendants, infused cremation ash pendants are made with a loop at the top so that you can attach them to a necklace and wear them every day.
Urns for Sports Fans
Choosing an urn, whether it’s for yourself or for a loved one, can be an emotional and stressful experience.
Practical considerations, like the cost of the urn and the urn’s size, often take center stage in the decision-making process. But deciding on added details, like a hovering football helmet or your team’s colors, can make the process more personal and, at times, even fun.
For sports fans, a sports-themed urn can represent a unique character trait and remind family members of treasured memories. And although they might not be considered “traditional” in style, sports-themed urns represent the traditional spirit of honoring the departed.
If you're looking for more on urns, read our guides on biodegradable urns and small urns for ashes.