EMPOWER FIELD AT MILE HIGH
STADIUM DUDE’S NFL STADIUM RANK: #16
STADIUM INFORMATION
- Location: Denver, CO
- Opened: 2001
- Capacity: 76,125
- Weather: OK (ranked 9th out of 20 outdoor venues)
- Games attended: 1
- Last visited: 2019
STADIUM REVIEW
Mile High is one of the more fun places to watch an NFL game. A lot of that is owed to the loud orange-clad fans. The Rolling Thunder, when everybody stands up and stomps the metal bleachers to make the actual stadium shake, is a pretty cool tradition.
The stadium’s upper deck is horseshoe shaped, a neat design touch given the team inside. Once you huff through the thin mountain air to that upper deck seat, you’re treated to either a view of the Denver skyline or the Rocky Mountains depending on what side of the stadium you’re on. You can get some good Colorado craft brews here including Breckenridge Brewery’s United in Orange pale ale, sold only at the stadium.
Pre-game tailgating in the parking lots is solid. On the stadium’s south side is an area with vendors, a band, and the Broncos ring of fame. An area just north features a mini Mile High Stadium, the drumline and cheerleaders. There are also some nifty art exhibits in the parking lots including one of seven broncos charging up an elevated stream.
Weather is unpredictable for long-range planning. You can get snow before Halloween, and a 70-degree day in December. My game was a cold (but sunny) day four days after a major blizzard with the home team essentially out of playoff contention. It allowed me to see a rarity at a Broncos game: thousands of empty (albeit sold) seats. But the mountain view was amazing.
A Broncos game can be a great add on to a ski trip or part of a long weekend trip to the great city of Denver. The stadium itself fulfills its part of the bargain by offering a solid place to catch a game.
