Temporary name Broncos Stadium at Mile High OK’d by governing board
Jun 20, 2018, 10:44 AM | Updated: 11:08 am
Come September, the Denver Broncos will be playing at a facility under a new name.
A temporary name change to Broncos Stadium at Mile High was approved by the Metropolitan Football Stadium District governing board during its quarterly meeting on Wednesday, according to a release from the Broncos.
“With the season fast approaching, we’re pleased that the MFSD has approved the temporary name of ‘Broncos Stadium at Mile High,’” said Broncos CCO Mac Freeman on Wednesday. “While fans will notice some new signage going up around the stadium reflecting this change, we remain completely focused on securing a long-term naming rights partner.”
Until Wednesday, the facility bore the name Sports Authority Field at Mile High despite the corporate sponsor going bankrupt in 2016. Signage with the retailer’s name remained on the stadium until January, when crews dismantled it.
During the team’s end-of-season press conference in January, president and CEO Joe Ellis said the Sports Authority name would need to remain in place for a period but he suspected a corporate name or placeholder would be in place by the start of the 2018 NFL season.
“I’m hoping we can get it resolved. The stadium has been terrific. I’m proud of the way Stadium Management Company and all of them down there have maintained it and kept it up,” Ellis said at the time. “It’s a great environment. A lot of terrific memories have already taken place there. I expect many more. I look forward to resolving this naming issue as fast we can.”
On Wednesday, Freeman said the organization has had “many productive conversations” regarding a corporate sponsor for the stadium, and the team is “confident” they’ll find the right partner.
“In this interim period, we’ll continue to provide all the necessary resources to ensure our stadium remains a great place for fans and one of the top facilities in all of sports,” Freeman said.
According to The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala, a deal for a corporate sponsor for the stadium does not seem eminent, though the club had been “close with a few companies” on a long-term naming rights deal in recent months.
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.