Denver – A Pro Sports Paradise
If you’re a sports fan, the Mile High City is the place you want to be. Denver is home to no less than eight professional sports teams that thrill sold out crowds year-round. Basketball, baseball, football, soccer, lacrosse, hockey, rugby – Denver’s got it all, with some of the world’s best athletes on the rosters.
The Colorado Rockies
Denver’s biggest sports headlines of recent years were the result of the Colorado Rockies’ rollercoaster 2007 season, which saw the team battling its way tenaciously from the lower reaches of the National League West standings all the way to the N.L. West Pennant – and the team’s first-ever World Series appearance. With much of last year’s lineup remaining, 2008 should be an equally exciting season. The Rockies – nicknamed the Blake Street Bombers – play home games at Coors Field in lower downtown Denver (“LoDo”), which offers the nostalgic feel of a classic ballpark mixed with state of the art technology. The season runs from April to September. Official website: www.rockies.mlb.com
The Denver Broncos
The enormous INVESCO Field at Mile High is where the NFL’s
Denver Broncos call home. Here in Denver, being a Broncos fan isn’t just a hobby – it’s a way of life. On game days, you’ll see the city awash in the team’s trademark orange, blue and white colors. The team is still best known for its league-dominating heyday with Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway (who now owns a Mile High City car dealership and two acclaimed restaurants), but its current roster is packed with young talent, including quarterback Jay Cutler, who threw for an impressive 3,497 passing yards in 2007. The season runs from September to January.
Official website: www.denverbroncos.com
The Colorado Crush
During the Broncos’ off-season, sports fans can get their football fix from the Colorado Crush, an arena football team that plays at the Pepsi Center between March and June. The team is co-owned by ex-Bronco John Elway, so it’s got a real Mile High sports legacy. Official website: www.coloradocrush.com
The Denver Nuggets
The NBA’s Denver Nuggets rule the court at the Pepsi Center in downtown Denver. With a roster that includes big name veterans like Marcus Camby, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony and Chucky Atkins, not to mention up-and-comers like Yakhouba Diawara and J.R. Smith, the Nuggets are truly a force to be reckoned with. Under the leadership of Head Coach George Karl, the team is in the midst of a great 2008 season, running neck and neck with the Utah Jazz for the Western Conference title. The season runs from October to June. Official website: www.nba.com/nuggets
The Colorado Avalanche
The Pepsi Center is also the home of Denver’s beloved hockey team, the Colorado Avalanche – the “Avs” to fans. With players like Joe Sakic, Cody McLeod and Peter Forsberg leading the way, the team is solid presence in the NHL standings, and their home games are always packed with Avs fans – some of the most devoted (and vocal!) hockey aficionados in the U.S. The season runs from September to June. Official website: www.avalanche.nhl.com
The Colorado Rapids
Major League Soccer’s
Colorado Rapids have a new home – the sprawling, high-tech Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, which opened its doors in 2007. The Rapids are a powerhouse team, with an international roster, featuring players from Jamaica, England, Africa, Japan and Argentina, not to mention some homegrown talent like midfielder Colin Clark, a Colorado native. The season runs from March to October.
Official website: www.coloradorapids.com
The Denver Barbarians
Rugby is a sport more often identified with the U.K., but Denver has had a pro (“super league”) rugby club for more than 40 years. The Denver Barbarians (known as the Barbos) competes against 15 other club teams from all over the United States, the highest level of competitive rugby play in the U.S. Head to the new Dick’s Sporting Goods Park to catch the club in all their rough-and-tumble glory. The season runs from February to May. Official website: www.denverbarbarians.com
The Colorado Mammoth
Lacrosse may not be as popular a professional sport as those mentioned above, but thanks to the Colorado Mammoth, it’s gaining a fervent following in the Mile High City. The team is part of the growing National Lacrosse League and plays home games at the Pepsi Center, where they often attract crowds rivaling those of the Nuggets and Avalanche. The Mammoth took home the league championship in 2006. The season runs from December to April. Official website: www.coloradomammoth.com