They call it Rocky Mountain Thunder. The stadium’s thunderous racket rang out as Denver Broncos fans stomped their feet on the metal deck of their old Mile High Stadium.
It would become a familiar scare tactic that has since translated to their current home of Empower Field, but perhaps also an unwritten cheat code for thousands ‘stepping into their stride’, given all I would learn about this Mountain West-enthusiastic metropolis.
Here was your proverbial protein shake of Colorado goodness, rampant escapism and blood-pumping self-care, curling up in the clouds some 5,280 feet above sea level as if cut off from the rest of the nation. Here they breathe a little differently, act a little differently, attack the sport a little differently.
The city is calm and soothing in keeping with its neighboring nature, and yet its sporting disciples are deafening. From its mountainous backdrop to its rich variety of wildlife, Denver is a still picture of the laptop screen. From its sunrise runners to its scaled rock climbers, it’s a breeding ground for adrenaline and activity. And among its seven major league sports teams, it’s a cauldron of intense, ever-growing fans.
Welcome to the Mile High, where an early rise at the Limelight Hotel (fueled by some jet-lag) would kick off my stay with a stunning view of the sunrise over Union Station, surrounded by coffee grabbers, workers and early birds catching worms.
I had flown direct from London Heathrow for a dose Denver life, another West Brom-come-Broncos fan I met that weekend had made the trip from Birmingham, and every week Sean Payton’s team gets support from neighboring states in New Mexico, Montana, Utah and Wyoming. Such is their isolated geographic position in America’s metaphorical “Gods,” the Broncos reign supreme as a prized NFL attraction.
Saturday. My choice of cargo pants in the heat of bronze had already returned to haunt me in a place where shorts and a tee tend to top the outfit. Denver’s 300 days of sunshine each year lends itself to a city fueled by the outdoors and an accompanying willingness to explore. This stuck-up Brit, a reality only reinforced by the perplexed look at learning bars and clubs close earlier here to avoid wasting mornings more dedicated to fitness and exercise; party early, workout early. And for what it’s worth, the motivation and desire to keep moving becomes infectious.
By night, Red Rocks Amphitheater is known as Denver’s unique home to world-class musical acts, where Lily Allen was headlining her album tour at the time of my visit. By morning, it seems to have taken on the look of an outdoor gym, with the theater’s many steps occupied by yoga classes and workouts for families and friends of all ages.
A man is shadowboxing in a mask reminiscent of Batman’s villain Bane, a father and his four children are tackling the incline in unison from the bottom up, and an elderly gentleman is shaking the kettlebell in awe of his younger training partners. Just blame this lazy reporter after an evening off watching the Colorado Rockies baseball team and exploring Denver’s world-class breweries; Ratio Beerworks, for the curious traveler, and Whiskey Bar, where I witnessed the most competitive games of pool – they take the sport and winning seriously here, regardless of game or level.
Sky Sports were invited to watch the Colorado Rockies in their loss to the Seattle Mariners
The Rockies these days are a little less associated with success than their tavern snooker and Broncos brethren, having made the playoffs just five times since 1993. However, they retain a devoted fan base that preserves baseball’s unique pastime. On this occasion families were invited to a fireworks display, I dare say to make up for the lack of Rockies fireworks on the field. And yet their supporters keep coming back.
The Broncos, as previously mentioned, top the sports charts in Denver as three-time Super Bowl champions and one of the most successful franchises in NFL history. The team boasts the longest active sellout streak for an NFL franchise remaining in one city, dating back to 1970, contributing to a 20-year season ticket waiting list.
Denver originally played its football at Mile High Stadium from 1960 to 2000, before moving to Empower Field at Mile High in 2001. The organization is now targeting the 2031 NFL season as a completion date for their new cantilevered-roof stadium, which would account for the Colorado elements as well as provide opportunities for year-round football use. Recent history points toward an increased opportunity to host the Super Bowl for stadiums that have roofs or can be covered.
The Broncos are the only team in the NFL to announce the number of no-shows on the big screen during every home game, prompting outrage from fans in attendance to those who didn’t make the trip.
Right on cue, the taunts arrived late in their Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, where I was among 76,472 fans basking in the Colorado sunshine to enjoy a day that began with the Broncos’ traditional pregame Thunderstorm parachute show and ended in a first win of the season for Bo Nix’s squad.
It’s loud, rocking noise from start to finish, highlighting one of the most popular fan bases in football. Oh, and boy, does he hate those Kansas City Chiefs, whose traveling fans will be made aware of that fact — if they don’t already — when they take to the Mile High this weekend, live on Sky Sports NFL.
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater
They cut the figure of rulers, powered by their breath-taking hues high in the sky, reminding teams where they are with an unreachable sign that reads: “ELEV 5280′ altitude sickness is real” as opposition players enter the stadium.
Creates an ‘us vs. them’ unity among Broncos fans and yet remains a warm and welcoming city for its visitors; I met a local in a cowboy hat, charmed by a British accent, and also a stadium worker who had a friend who lived in Clapham – because OF COURSE. It’s always Clapham.
Empower Field has also served as host to events ranging from Barack Obama’s acceptance of the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 to concerts by Taylor Swift. In March 2026, she also made history by setting a new National Women’s Soccer League attendance record when 63,004 fans watched the Denver Summit expansion team play the Washington Spirit, surpassing the previous mark of 40,091 set by Bay FC at Oracle Park.
Denver natives don’t mess around when it comes to sports. If there’s a team, a game, an individual to root for – they’re there. There are quite a few of them; just three years ago the Nuggets won the NBA Finals, and four years ago the Colorado Avalanche won the NHL’s Stanley Cup.
The Summit is something of Denver’s newest and burgeoning hope, which has been accepted as an NWSL expansion team in January 2025, with legendary Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning part of their ownership group. Six Summit players were recently called up to represent the US Women’s National Team during the October international break. This included midfielder Lindsey Heaps, who has won a World Cup, two Olympic medals and captained her team to the 2023 World Cup with more than 170 caps for the national team.
I attended Summit’s 2-1 win over the Seattle Reign, where a sellout crowd of 12,272 attended despite an hour-long rain delay. Chanting “you can’t do that” at the sight of a foul was uniquely American in contrast to the more profane tirades common in European soccer, but it proved another crowd that reflected Denver’s deep sporting commitment.
Beyond its sport, it is a city embodied by its gateway to the natural world.
Devoted Broncos fans may know ‘Frank the Tank’ as the childhood nickname for offensive tackle Frank Crum, while others may know him as the legendary bull of the mo. Rocky Mountain National Park. Sadly (or maybe luckily), a day trip into the mountains didn’t lead me to Frank.
What drove me was the otherworldly views of Blue Sky Mountain, where endless greenery, whisper-inducing Echo Lake, Idaho Springs, and scenic road loops along which Walter Mitty could deliver timeless skateboarding images for the mental archives. Likewise a lively tour guide, who would inform us of his possible encounter with Big Foot while camping in the surrounding forest area; I saw his pictures and the foot prints are almost reliable enough to sway the most stubborn opponents.
Still, it’s the perfect soothing complement to the city’s Broncos mania, where ziplining and whitewater rafting still maintain Denver’s commitment to sports adrenaline. The visuals are really something else.
It’s as versatile a sports town as you’ll find in the United States, biggest regret is my inability to ski, such is access to some of the greatest slopes in the world.
Denver’s RiNo district has trendy shops, phenomenal street murals, and the many cuisines of Denver Central Market. It’s a community that offers a reminder of Denver’s diversity, with Hispanic and Latino residents making up roughly 34 percent of the city’s population — and no doubt contributing to my impeccable game-day chilaquiles at The Bindery.
Cherry Creek shopping, the Denver Art Museum, the city’s eight Michelin-starred restaurants and easy access to the Rocky Mountains occupy some days, while outdoor sports await every other.
Bring shorts and a Broncos jersey.
For more information, visit visitdenver.com.
