Offseason moves, support of Broncos fans spur optimism for Joe Ellis

[Miles]

The passion, backed up by the financial commitment of fans who continue to pour into the stadium, also creates a sense of duty to deliver for the fans who invest their time and energy to support the Broncos. That is something Head Coach Vic Fangio mentioned Sunday, when he spoke of a "responsibility" to do what it took to forge a turnaround and get the Broncos back to the level at which they're accustomed to playing.


“No question about that," Ellis said. "That is a pressure point. That is why losing is so hard, because you are letting those people down, to me. I hope we can reward them sooner rather than later because that is what they deserve."


Giving the fans what they deserve also involves making the stadium experience better through improvements, the most notable of which will be the addition of LED lights to replace the traditional metal-halide lights atop the stadium.


Because LED lights do not require a lengthy time frame to power up, they can be used to add to the fan experience. In some Major League Baseball venues, for example, LED lights are turned down or flash in patterns after home runs or during opponent pitching changes to help energize the home crowd.


The brightness of LED lights also helps for other sports, such as soccer. This could benefit the quest to bring some 2026 World Cup matches to Denver, which is one of 17 U.S. cities vying for 10 host spots.


Broncos Stadium at Mile High will also host games in the CONCACAF Gold Cup -- which includes national soccer teams from North America, Central American and the Caribbean -- this summer.


"I think it would be fun. It'd be a lot of fun for the city," Ellis said. "It would generate a ton of visitors -- not only for the games that take place in World Cup soccer when you're a host city, but the events around it. The teams come in and practice at altitude for a week at a time.


"Their fans flock in for the same amount of time from all over the world. You get several countries represented playing in your stadium. It'd be a big boon for the city of Denver."