Sports in Denver facts for kids
Denver, Colorado, is a city full of exciting sports! It's home to many professional teams, including those from the four biggest sports leagues in the United States. These teams play their games in awesome venues like Empower Field at Mile High, Ball Arena, and Coors Field. There's also a professional soccer team, the Colorado Rapids, who play nearby in Commerce City.
Denver and the areas around it also have six college sports teams. Two of these schools, the Colorado Buffaloes and the Denver Pioneers, have top-level NCAA Division I programs. The other four schools, like the Metro State Roadrunners and Regis Rangers, play in NCAA Division II.
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Denver's Big Professional Sports Teams
Denver is the smallest city among the 13 U.S. cities that have teams from all four major sports.
Denver Broncos: Football Fun
The Denver Broncos are a famous NFL team. They have been playing since the early 1960s and always have huge crowds. Their home stadium is Empower Field at Mile High. The Broncos have sold out almost every home game since 1970! They won the Super Bowl in 2016 and have won three Super Bowl titles in total.
Colorado Rockies: Baseball in the Mountains
In the 1980s and 90s, Denver worked hard to get a MLB team. In 1993, the city got the Colorado Rockies. They first played at Mile High Stadium. Then, they moved to their current home, Coors Field, in 1995. The Rockies made it to their first World Series in 2007.
Denver Nuggets: Basketball Champions
The Denver Nuggets are Denver's NBA team. They play at Ball Arena. The team started in 1967 as the Denver Larks. They changed their name to the Denver Rockets, and then to the Denver Nuggets in 1974. In 2023, the Nuggets won their first-ever NBA championship!
Colorado Avalanche: Ice Hockey Heroes
The Colorado Avalanche is Denver's NHL team. They moved to Denver in 1995 from Quebec City. The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup three times: in 1996, 2001, and 2022. They also play at Ball Arena. The Avalanche have even played outdoor hockey games at Coors Field!
Colorado Rapids: Soccer Stars
The Colorado Rapids are a MLS team. They play at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. The Rapids were one of the first MLS teams, starting in 1996. They won the MLS Cup in 2010. The Rapids have a big rivalry with Real Salt Lake. They play each other every year for the Rocky Mountain Cup.
Other Professional Teams in Denver
Denver is also home to the Colorado Mammoth, a professional Box Lacrosse team. They play in the NLL at Ball Arena. The Mammoth moved to Denver in 2003.
The Denver Outlaws are a field lacrosse team that started playing in 2024. They are part of the PLL.
| Club | Sport | League | Venue | Capacity | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | Football | NFL | Empower Field at Mile High | 76,125 | 1960 | The Broncos started in the American Football League (AFL) in 1960. They joined the NFL in 1970. |
| Denver Nuggets | Basketball | NBA | Ball Arena | 19,502 | 1967 | The Nuggets started in the American Basketball Association (ABA). They joined the NBA in 1976. |
| Colorado Rockies | Baseball | MLB | Coors Field | 46,897 | 1993 | The Rockies are a new MLB team from 1993. They played at Mile High Stadium until 1995. |
| Colorado Avalanche | Ice hockey | NHL | Ball Arena | 17,809 | 1995 | The Avalanche moved from Quebec City in 1995. They were the Quebec Nordiques before. |
| Colorado Rapids | Soccer | MLS | Dick's Sporting Goods Park | 18,061 | 1996 | The Rapids are one of the first MLS teams. They played at Mile High Stadium until 2001. |
| Colorado Mammoth | Box Lacrosse | NLL | Ball Arena | 17,809 | 2003 | The Mammoth moved to Denver in 2003. They were the Washington Power before. |
| Denver Outlaws | Field Lacrosse | PLL | Cross Country Playing- No Specific Field | - | 2024 | The Denver Outlaws are a new team in the PLL. |
College Sports Teams in Denver
Denver and the surrounding area have several college sports teams.
- Colorado Buffaloes: The CU Buffaloes are located in Boulder. They are part of the Pac-12 Conference.
- Denver Pioneers: The DU Pioneers are in the city of Denver. They play in NCAA Division I. They are part of The Summit League for most sports. Their men's ice hockey team plays in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.
- Metro State Roadrunners: The Metro State Roadrunners are in Denver. They play in NCAA Division II and are part of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
- Regis Rangers: The Regis Rangers are also in Denver. They play in NCAA Division II and are part of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
Past Sports Teams in Denver
Denver has been home to many sports teams over the years that are no longer here. Some of these include:
- Denver Zephyrs: A baseball team that played from 1955 to 1992.
- Colorado Rockies: An NHL hockey team that played from 1976 to 1982. This team later became the New Jersey Devils.
- Denver Dynamite: An Arena Football League team that played in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
- Denver Grizzlies: An International Hockey League team that played for one season in 1994-1995.
- Colorado Crush: Another Arena Football League team that played from 2003 to 2008.
- Denver Cutthroats: A hockey team that played from 2012 to 2014.
- Denver Outlaws: A Major League Lacrosse team that played from 2006 to 2020.
Denver as a Host City for Sports Events
Denver has hosted many exciting sports events over the years.
Major League All-Star Games
- The Major League Baseball All-Star Game was held at Coors Field in 1998 and 2021.
- The NHL All-Star Game was held at Pepsi Center in 2001.
- The NBA All-Star Game was held in Denver in 1984 and 2005.
International Sports Events
- Denver was chosen to host the 1976 Winter Olympics. However, the city decided not to host due to rising costs and environmental concerns.
- The city has also hosted international rugby matches, including the Churchill Cup in 2009 and 2010.
Other Notable Events
- Denver co-hosted the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships in 1962.
- The NCAA Final Four was held in Denver in 1990.
- The first two UFC events were held in Denver in 1993 and 1994.
- The NCAA Frozen Four (college hockey championship) was hosted in Denver in 2008.
- Infinity Park became the new host for the USA Women's Sevens rugby tournament in 2018.
Images for kids
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Mile High Stadium was an important stadium in Denver's sports history.
