Thanks for Coming – Now Get Out!
By Craig Hurst
The NFL regular season is sixteen games long – eight of those games are at home and the other eight are on the road. Not only do teams have very different routines and schedules when they’re at home versus on the road, fans who watch games in person also have very different experiences depending on the team they support.
Unfortunately, this Denver Bronco season ticket holder no longer lives in the Denver area, but that also opens up the opportunity to see the Broncos play when they wear white visitor jerseys, instead of the blue home jerseys. The NFL stadium closest to my home is Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Broncos’ AFC West rival, the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Bronco fan, visiting Arrowhead Stadium when the Broncos play is kind of like attending a party that you’re not invited to!
If the trip through the Kansas City area didn’t convince you that you’re not in Broncos Country anymore, you will definitely realize you are in the minority the minute you enter the parking areas at Arrowhead Stadium. Like Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium, Arrowhead has a number of tailgaters who proudly display their colors and, at times, their dislike for whichever team is visiting for the day. As you walk through the parking lots and the stadium, any fan of a visiting team must have thick-skin, because if you’re not covered in red and yellow, glares will come from all directions.
Once kickoff occurs, your game day experience at Arrowhead may drastically improve or get worse, depending on how the Broncos perform on the field. I have been to Arrowhead a number of times and have seen the Broncos play well and win, but I’ve also witnessed the Broncos visit Arrowhead and come out on the losing end. As is the case when the Chargers, Raiders and Chiefs visit Denver, there is a sense of electricity when the Broncos and Chiefs play at Arrowhead. The team from Colorado, and the fans supporting them, must weather the home field advantage storm and hope that once the Chiefs’ excitement subsides, the Broncos are still in the game. Regardless of the outcome, many Chief fans will be courteous and wish you well but, unfortunately, there might be some fans who will make your visit a bit unpleasant. I am sure fans of teams visiting Mile High would say the same thing is true of their visit.
If you have the opportunity to watch the Broncos play a road game, remember, we are guests in the other team’s home, and it doesn’t matter if the Broncos win or lose, we should treat the team, and their fans with respect. Hopefully, that demonstrated behavior will leave a lasting impression on those fans, and if they ever visit Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium, they will reciprocate our actions.
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