Regarding a potential new Broncos stadium: It’s ‘very early’

PHOENIX — When a Broncos stadium survey landed in the email inboxes of season-ticket holders last week, it seemed as if the Broncos were a step closer in their path to a new home.

And that may well be the case. But it’s only one step, with many more left — including the step of deciding what they want to do.

CEO and co-owner Greg Penner answered a stadium-related question with the caveat, “if we decide to go down the path of a new stadium in Denver.”

And team president Damani Leech repeatedly mentioned where things stand in the time frame.

“It’s early in the process,” he said at one point.

“It’s very, very early,” he said at another juncture.

“As you know, we’ve got nine years left on the lease,” Leech continued. “So, we’re not rushing to do anything. But we do know these processes take time. We want to be as deliberate as we can, gather as much information as we can.”

To that end, Leech, Penner and other Broncos officials toured stadiums and venues far and wide last season. They visited the home venues of the Raiders, Seahawks, Vikings, Dolphins and Cowboys. They also studied SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., the home of the Rams and Chargers.

Damani Leech said he and Broncos officials have toured plenty of venues in recent months, including the home stadiums of the Raiders, Chargers/Rams, Vikings, Seahawks, Cowboys and Dolphins. Also toured Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Notes “wider concourses” & “more restrooms.” pic.twitter.com/IQry84VO3d

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) March 28, 2023

And when the Broncos visited London, they toured both Wembley Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The latter was purpose-built to host both the NFL and Premier League matches on a short turnaround.

Much of what they learned was about the nuts and bolts, not the bells and whistles.

“A lot of stadiums now, what you’re generally seeing [involves] wider concourses, more restrooms — really trying to make it as hospitable as possible for fans,” Leech said. “We talk about trying to get fans off couches, into your stadiums. A lot of those things, technology.

“You see a lot more space [in the] back of the house. Stadiums are homes to concerts, multiple teams, trying to make them as comfortable as possible. Those things are really interesting.”

But in their tour, the Broncos didn’t find all of their answers in one venue.

Broncos CEO and co-owner Greg Penner, on touring NFL stadiums last fall and what he took from the process: pic.twitter.com/Plir7NU7v8

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) March 28, 2023

“We didn’t come away from any of those saying — if we decide to go down the path of a new stadium in Denver — ‘This would be the perfect stadium for us,'” Penner said.

“I think it’s really unique to the market. We’d want something that’s inherently Colorado, the Broncos. But we saw a lot of interesting aspects from different types of roof covers, different types of fields, different mix of seats, so, it was a really interesting process for us.”

So, that begs the question: Just what does the Broncos’ top brass want in a new stadium?

Truth be told, they’re still figuring that out.

“I think that’s part of the reason why we’re doing the survey — so we can have informed conversations,” Leech said. “We call them ‘visioning sessions,’ about what the future could be.”

And the Broncos have the benefit of time.

“[We’re] far from making any decisions — or, I think, even having favorites,” Leech said. “Sometimes we talk about it and joke about how today we’re interested this, and tomorrow we’re interested in that.

“It’s just too early.”

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