Why watch a game on television when you can see it live in America’s top sports city that boasts seven major sports teams and three state-of-the-art stadiums? With spectator sports that include hockey (Colorado Avalanche); lacrosse (Colorado Mammoth and Denver Outlaws); soccer (Colorado Rapids); baseball (Colorado Rockies); football (Denver Broncos); and basketball (Denver Nuggets), finding something to do is easy.
From football and baseball to lacrosse, soccer, hockey, and auto racing, the metro Denver area offers sports fans countless opportunities throughout the year to watch their favorite professional or collegiate team. In fact, more than 6 million fans attend sporting events each year in the metro area.
The Metro Denver Sports Commission was formed in 1991 to attract the world’s top sporting events to metro Denver. Thanks to commission efforts, Denver has hosted such events as the 2007 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Western Regional Tournament and the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four Hockey Tournament. From professional to college, Denver has it all. Browse the resources below, and get ready to enjoy live action excitement!
Professional Sports Venues
Metro Denver is home to sports venues located in or near downtown, which have revitalized the Central Platte Valley and the Lower Downtown (LoDo) area into a vibrant entertainment and shopping district.
1stBank Center
11450 Broomfield Lane Broomfield, 80020 303-460-8800 www.1stbankcenter.comThe state-of-the-art 1stBank Center relaunched in March 2010. Formerly known as the Broomfield Event Center, 1STBANK Center is the premiere mid-sized event venue in the Denver area. The venue can hold up to 6,500 people and can accommodate live music, family shows, sporting events, community functions and more.
Coors Field
2001 Blake St. Denver, 80205 303-762-5437 https://colorado.rockies.mlb.comHome to Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies, Coors Field holds more than 50,000 fans and has been a leader in attendance for Major League Baseball games since it opened in 1995. Seats in the first base and right field areas provide breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains. Most stadium seats are painted green, except for the upper deck’s 20th row, which is painted purple to mark 5,280 feet, exactly one mile above sea level. Amenities include private suites, retail stores, picnic areas, an interactive games area, specially designated Family Sections and a clubhouse. Tours are offered throughout the year.
Sports Authority Field at Mile High
1701 Bryant St. Denver, 80204 720-258-3000 https://www.denverbroncos.com/stadium/ The 1.8-million-square-foot Sports Authority Field at Mile High opened in 2001 and has more than 76,000 seats. It is home to the National Football League’s Denver Broncos, Major League Soccer’s Colorado Rapids and the Denver Outlaws, a new summer lacrosse team. The playing surface is 100 percent grass, and two public artworks adorn the stadium’s exterior. Fans are treated to traditional and specialty concession stand fare, as well as three large Mitsubishi video displays located inside the stadium’s seating area and 530 TV monitors found throughout the stadium.A special feature on Level 5 of Sports Authority Field is the Ring of Fame, which honors former Denver Broncos players and administrators. Visitors also can enjoy “The Broncos,” a sculpture created in Florence, Italy by renowned sculptor Sergio Benvenuti, which depicts five larger-than-life broncos, a mare and a colt running uphill in an alpine mountain setting. The Counties Gateway Plaza, located on the west side of Sports Authority Field, features six 40-foot monuments placed on either side of the plaza that serve as a tribute to the six counties that helped to make the stadium a reality.
Pepsi Center
1000 Chopper Circle Denver, 80204 303-405-1100 www.pepsicenter.comConsidered one of the most flexible and multifunctional arenas in the country, this sports and entertainment venue is located at the edge of downtown Denver and hosts more than 220 sporting events, concerts and special events every year. Pepsi Center is home to the National Basketball Association’s Denver Nuggets, National Hockey League’s Colorado Avalanche and National Lacrosse League’s Colorado Mammoth.
The Pepsi Center is also one of the few sports venues in North America to offer a separate team practice facility. The Berger Funds NBA Practice Court is a full-sized basketball court used by the Denver Nuggets for all practice sessions. Opened in 2000, the stadium is situated on 4.6 acres, including 675,000 square feet of building space and five levels. It also features luxury suites, club seats, fine and casual dining facilities and spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains.
The Pepsi Center holds more than 19,00 fans for basketball games; more than 18,00 for hockey, arena football and lacrosse games; and anywhere from 500 to 20,000 for concerts and other events. Both the Regional Metropolitan District’s public bus and light rail systems offer stops at Pepsi Center.
Denver’s Professional Sports Teams
Colorado Rockies
303-762-5437 https://rockies.mlb.com Major League Baseball (MLB) Season: April–SeptemberMore than 4.4 million fans attended the Colorado Rockies’ games during their inaugural season in 1993, breaking Major League Baseball’s single-season attendance record that same year. The Rockies went on to play in the 2007 World Series against the Boston Red Sox.
Cutthroats Denver
303-295-3474 www.denvercutthroats.com Central Hockey League (CHL) Season: October – AprilThe Cutthroats are a minor-league expansion team of the Central Hockey League. The team’s inaugural season was 2012, and it plays its home games at the Denver Coliseum.
Denver Nuggets
303-405-1100 www.nuggets.com National Basketball Association (NBA) Season: November–AprilThose who enjoy the game of basketball will feel right at home in Denver, where fans are treated to the best experience anywhere in the NBA. The “Nuggets” name refers to the 19th century mining boom in Colorado, when people rushed to the area hoping to make their fortunes by panning gold and silver nuggets.
Denver Broncos
303-649-9000 www.denverbroncos.com National Football League (NFL) Season: September–JanuaryThrough a 31-24 victory against the Green Bay Packers, the Denver Broncos won their first World Championship in Super Bowl XXXII. A year later, the team won its second title. To celebrate the team’s successes, team owner Pat Bowlen created the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame in 1984 to honor former players and administrators. You can see the Ring of Fame on the Level 5 façade of Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Since its inception, 21 members have been inducted.
Colorado Avalanche
303-405-1100 www.coloradoavalanche.com National Hockey League (NHL) Season: October–AprilSince relocating to Colorado prior to the 1995-1996 season, the franchise has advanced to postseason play each year, including advancing to the Conference Finals six times and winning the Stanley Cup twice.
Colorado Mammoth Lacrosse
303-405-1100 www.coloradomammoth.com National Lacrosse League (NLL) Season: January–AprilIn seven-plus seasons, more than 990,000 Mammoth fans have packed Pepsi Center. In 2006, the Colorado Mammoth won the NLL 2006 Champions Cup. And in 2010, the team celebrated its one-millionth fan.
Denver Outlaws Lacrosse
303-OUTLAWS/720-258-3600 www.denveroutlaws.com Major League Lacrosse Season: May–AugustThe Denver Outlaws—Colorado’s professional outdoor lacrosse team—joined Major League Lacrosse in 2006 as an expansion team.
Colorado Rapids
303-405-1100 www.coloradorapids.com Major League Soccer (MLS) Season: April–SeptemberThis MLS soccer club was founded in 1995 and moved to its new home at Dick’s Sporting Good Park in 2007.
Auto Racing
Bandimere Speedway
3051 S. Rooney Road Morrison, 80465 303-697-6001 www.bandimere.comNational Hot Rod Association Championship Drag Racing happens here every from April through October.
Colorado National Speedway
4281 Weld County Road 10 Dacono, 80514 303-825-0116 www.coloradospeedway.comThe NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, the richest and most recognized short-track series in the nation, is held from April through September.
Horse Racing
Horses have long been part of Denver’s history – and today, this equine love affair continues with nearly 65,000 horse owners in the state. In fact, show or racehorses account for 40 percent of Colorado’s horse population, and it’s no surprise that summer weekends are always busy times for area racetracks.
Arapahoe Park Racetrack
26000 E. Quincy Aurora, 80016 303-690-2400 www.wembleyco.com/arapahoe_park. Thoroughbred and quarter horse racing is held every weekend from mid-June through September.Other Spectator Sports
Colorado is home to a variety of winter spectator sporting events, including the Winter X Games in Aspen. Other sporting events, from the USA Pro Cycling Challenge to the women’s NCAA final four, happen in metro Denver and across Colorado year-round. Visit www.denversports.org to learn more about upcoming national and international sporting events in Denver.
Collegiate Sports
Those who enjoy spectator sports can find games throughout the year at some of the many metro Denver area colleges and universities who offer top-ranked sports programs, including Colorado School of Mines, Colorado Christian University, Colorado State University, Metropolitan State College/Denver, Regis University, University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Denver.
The large variety men’s and women’s sports supported by area colleges and universities include baseball, basketball, lacrosse, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, diving, water polo, skiing, tennis, track and field, volleyball and wrestling. For information, please refer to the Education section.
