Denver Sports, Golf Courses & Parks

Major-league venues near downtown

Denver’s four major-league teams in football, basketball, baseball, and hockey play near downtown at three active venues: Empower Field at Mile High, Ball Arena, and Coors Field. Empower Field at Mile High is home to the Denver Broncos; Ball Arena is home to the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets; and Coors Field is home to the Colorado Rockies.

The Colorado Rapids are the Major League Soccer team based in the Denver metro area, but they play in nearby Commerce City at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids were among the ten founding teams of Major League Soccer, began play in 1996, moved into their current home in 2007, and won the MLS Cup in 2010.

Pro teams and their local histories

The Denver Broncos have drawn crowds of over 70,000 since their AFL origins in the early 1960s at Mile High Stadium and continue to play at Empower Field at Mile High. The Broncos have sold out every home game except strike-replacement games since 1970, advanced to the Super Bowl eight times, and won titles in 1998, 1999, and 2015.

The Colorado Rockies were awarded to Denver as a Major League Baseball expansion team in 1993 and played at Mile High Stadium while Coors Field was under construction. The Denver Nuggets began as the Denver Larks in 1967, changed to the Denver Rockets before their first season, became the Denver Nuggets in 1974, joined the NBA in 1976, and won their first NBA title in 2023. The Colorado Avalanche relocated from Quebec City in 1995 and have won Stanley Cups in 1996, 2001, and 2022 while playing in Denver.

Ball Arena is shared by the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets.

College sports across the metro area

Denver and the wider metropolitan area are home to six college sports teams, including two NCAA Division I programs and four NCAA Division II programs. The Colorado Buffaloes are located in Boulder and are a member of the Big 12 Conference, while the Denver Pioneers are located in Denver and play in NCAA Division I.

The MSU Denver Roadrunners and Regis Rangers are located in Denver, play in NCAA Division II, and are members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Colorado Christian University and the Colorado School of Mines are located in the western Denver suburbs of Lakewood and Golden.

The Denver Pioneers, MSU Denver Roadrunners, and Regis Rangers are located in the city of Denver.

Events, bids, and former teams

Denver has hosted major sports events including Major League Baseball All-Star Games at Coors Field, NHL and NBA All-Star events, the 1990 NCAA Final Four at McNichols Arena, and the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four Tournament. The Colorado Colfax Marathon is run through the city annually.

Denver was initially awarded the 1976 Winter Olympics, but voters rejected a public-funding ballot measure after rising costs and worries about environmental impact.

The Rapids’ main rival is Real Salt Lake, and the two teams play every year for the Rocky Mountain Cup.