Don’t expect to see any record-breaking attendance figures from Denver Broncos training camp this year. Even though there’s a lot of hype surrounding the hire of head coach Sean Payton, the local fire marshal has warned the team about its limitations.
According to a story published by ESPN, the Broncos will limit training camp attendance to 3,000 fans per practice this year. That’s less than half of the highest figure we saw from last year’s camp.
The Broncos essentially tattled on themselves last year. During the 2022 training camp, Denver sent out a tweet saying attendance for one of the practices exceeded 7,000 spectators. When the fire marshal caught wind of the number, it was investigated.
“Someone then sent us the tweet and said ‘that seems like an awful lot, can it really hold that?’” South Metro Fire Department spokesman Eric Hurst told ESPN. “And just like any complaint our office would receive, our fire marshal’s office went there, visited the site. The Broncos staff at the time didn’t know how many people were in attendance at that moment.
“People leave, some come later, there was a question if all 7,000 people were there at the same time, but regardless, the fire marshal’s office then has some conversations with the Broncos moving forward and said that capacity needs to be adhered to.’’
Broncos fans flocked to training camp last year after acquiring quarterback Russell Wilson in the offseason. Many believed the nine-time Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl champion would be the missing link and help Denver return to prominence in the AFC.
It didn’t quite pan out that way in 2022.
Instead, Denver concluded last season with a disappointing 5-12 record. Wilson was the captain of one of the worst offensive units in the NFL. It created a lot of anger and frustration among fans.
So, perhaps after last year’s failures, training camp wouldn’t be quite as popular this year anyway. But Denver did hire Payton, a proven offensive guru. And while the disappointments of last year’s team still linger, there’s still hope entering 2023.
To comply with local codes and the fire marshal’s orders, the Broncos have capped attendance at 3,000, using tickets as a way to keep track of fans. Entrance is free, but spectators must still possess a ticket to enter.
Even though it won’t be a record-setting crowd, 3,000 fans at training camp is still a huge number.
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