ENGLEWOOD, Colo — Maintaining a first-class organization apparently never stops. It continues week after week, month after month, year after year.
A week after the Broncos and the Walton-Penner ownership group announced plans to build a new $175 million headquarters for the start of the 2026 season, 9NEWS has learned another investment has been made in the name of player wellness.
To help ensure player safety and the best playability, the Broncos last week installed a brand new field, at a cost of nearly $250,000, at Empower Field at Mile High for the second half of the season.
It’s not the first time Owner & CEO Greg Penner and his organization replaced their field in-season. Last season, even though the Broncos were 4-12 at the time, the ownership replaced what had been a well-worn field at a cost of $400,000 for the one final game. (The reason it was less expensive to replace the field this year was the project was planned three months ago. Last year's finalgame replacement had the added rush costs.)
While it is common for teams to replace heavily worn areas such as between the hashmarks, the Broncos’ ownership replacing their entire field in-season during back-to-back years is rare.
The new field was installed on Nov. 6, in less than nine hours, with a beautiful, 74-degree day helping the project run smoothly.
Even though the field was still in very good condition (unlike last season), the decision was made in August that the best time to replace the turf was during the bye week -- after six games played by the Broncos, counting the preseason, and the Air Force-Army game on Nov. 4.
That Empower Field at Mile High allowed the end zones to be painted with Air Force and Army insignias was the first clue the new turf was on its way.
And now, Empower Field will get a brand new field for the second half of the Broncos’ 2023 season. The first game with the new grass will be this Sunday night, when the Broncos host the Minnesota Vikings (6:20 kickoff, broadcast on 9NEWS). The idea is to give the grounds crew and players the safest, playable field as the cold months roll in.
Locally grown in Platteville, Colorado, there were 64,000 square feet and 13 semi-loads of 100% Kentucky Grass transported to and laid at Empower Field at Mile High last week.
The playing field will be replaced again before the start of the 2024 Broncos season following the spring/early summer event series.
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