Empower Field at Mile High

Empower Field at Mile High is an American football stadium in the western United States, located in Denver, Colorado. It opened 25 years ago in 2001 and is the home of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). The stadium replaced the Broncos' original home, Mile High Stadium.

The stadium is nicknamed "Mile High" because of Denver's elevation of one mile or 5,280 feet above sea level. This makes it hard for visiting teams to compete, and the loud fans give the Broncos a strong home advantage. The stadium has also hosted other sports teams, concerts, and important events like Barack Obama's acceptance of the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.

After only three decades, the venue is expected to be replaced in 2031 by a new stadium in nearby Burnham Yard.

Financing

The Denver Broncos worked hard to get support for building a new stadium. They talked to many important people and spent a lot of money to help pass a vote in November 1998. This vote let people in Denver and nearby areas choose to help pay for the new stadium by agreeing to a small extra tax on things they bought.

The team and the state of Colorado shared the cost. The Broncos paid for one quarter of the money needed, and the state paid for the rest. A special group was set up to manage the money and make sure the stadium was built correctly.

Corporate partners

Naming rights

Invesco paid a lot of money for the right to name the stadium when it opened in 2001. Later, in 2011, Sports Authority took over that naming right. Even after Sports Authority closed in 2016, the stadium kept its name for a while due to some rules. In 2018, the Broncos changed the name to Broncos Stadium at Mile High until a new agreement was made with Empower in 2019.

Concessions

Today, Aramark Corporation runs the food at the stadium. They started in 2019 and work with many restaurants in Denver to give fans more food choices. One of these restaurant owners is Frank Bonanno, who is well-known in the city for his popular spots.

Improvements

In December 2012, the Denver Broncos announced a $30 million project to improve their stadium before the 2013 season. This included a new, large video screen on the south end of the field.

Later, in 2022, the Broncos announced more than $100 million in upgrades to the stadium. These changes were finished in time for the 2023 season and included an even bigger video screen, making it one of the largest in any football stadium.

Controversies

Some people living near the stadium were unhappy about changes that happened because of it. They worried about extra traffic and other problems on days when games were played.

When the stadium was being built, some people in Denver did not want to sell the right to name the stadium to a company. Fans mostly wanted to keep calling it "Mile High," like the old stadium. Later, the name changed a few times, which caused more discussions among fans and local leaders. Some people also worried about bright lights and how the new signs would look.

Usage

The stadium is mainly used for American football games. It is the home field for Denver’s National Football League team, the Denver Broncos. It has also hosted games for a Major League Lacrosse team called the Denver Outlaws. In college football, it has been the place for an important rivalry game between Colorado State University Rams and the University of Colorado Boulder Buffaloes. The stadium has also hosted championship games for Colorado high school football and events like the CBA Marching Band Finals.

Besides sports, the stadium has hosted a Drum Corps International Championship in 2004 and music events. It was also home to the city’s Major League Soccer team, the Colorado Rapids, until they moved to Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. In 2018, England and New Zealand played a rugby league match there, with England winning 36–18.

Location

The stadium was built as part of a big plan to improve sports places in Denver. It is easy to get to because it is close to major roads like Interstate 25 and has a special light rail station nearby. It is located in the Sun Valley neighborhood.

In September 2025, the team shared plans for a new stadium called Burnham Yard. This new stadium will be paid for by the Walton-Penner Family Ownership group and will include improvements to the area around it, with plans to open in time for the 2031 NFL Season.

Stadium culture and traditions

At home games, fans have a fun tradition called the "Incomplete Chant." When the other team throws a pass that doesn’t reach their player, the announcer starts saying what happened, and fans shout "IN-COM-PLETE!!" to finish the sentence.

Fans also have other fun traditions, like booing when the announcer tells how many fans are missing from their seats. In the early years, fans on one side would shout "Go" and fans on the other side would shout "Broncos," taking turns for several minutes. Fans in the "South Stands" are also known for stamping their feet to make a loud noise, called 'Mile High Thunder.'

The stadium shows a big replica of a horse on top of the main scoreboard, continuing a tradition from the old stadium. Every home game has been sold out since the stadium opened.

Notable events

NFL events

On September 10, 2001, the stadium hosted its first regular season NFL game, with the Broncos defeating the New York Giants 31–20. This special pre-game ceremony featured Broncos legends helping to bring the team’s spirit from the old stadium to the new one.

The stadium has hosted several important NFL playoff games over the years. It hosted the 2005 AFC Divisional playoff game where Denver defeated the New England Patriots 27–13. In 2012, the Broncos won an AFC Wild Card playoff game against the same team. The Broncos also played in several AFC Championship Games and even advanced to Super Bowl 50, which they won.

Soccer

On July 26, 2014, the stadium hosted a soccer match between Manchester United and A.S. Roma as part of the 2014 International Champions Cup, with Manchester United winning 3–2.

Rugby league

The stadium hosted an international rugby league match between New Zealand and England on June 23, 2018.

Concerts

The stadium has held several famous concerts over the years.

Other notable events

The stadium has hosted many other sports events, including a college football game known as the Rocky Mountain Showdown in 2001. It has also hosted events like the Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game and the Drum Corps International World Championships.

In 2008, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama gave a big speech here, with around 84,000 people attending. The stadium also hosted its first AMA Supercross Championship event in 2019 and Monster Jam shows in 2019 and 2022.

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Denver Broncos Ring of Fame

The Denver Broncos Ring of Fame started in 1984 by team owner Pat Bowlen. It honors former players and administrators who helped shape the team's history. Their names, years of service, and often their jersey numbers are shown on the stadium's Level 5 facade. Each year, the team can choose new members, but sometimes no one is added.

The Ring of Fame was moved from the old stadium to the new one, and the names were rearranged. John Elway's name was placed in the center of the ring, right between the goalposts in the north end zone.

Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum

The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum opened in August 2001. You can find it at Gate #1 on the west side of the stadium.

2022 fire

On March 24, 2022, a fire damaged parts of the seating and higher-level areas at Empower Field at Mile High. Luckily, no one was hurt. The fire started from a welding tool used on a part of the building. Fixing the damage was hard because it affected important parts of the structure and getting new pieces took time. This made it tricky to get everything ready for the next football games.