The numbers are in for attendance across the NFL in 2022, and it they reflect well on Denver Broncos fans.
Despite a dismal year that featured a 5-12 record, a head coach firing 15 games into the season and finishing near the bottom of the NFL in nearly every offensive statistic, Denver faithful continued to show up (for the most part).
The Broncos finished with the fifth-highest attendance in the NFL in 2022, with an average of 75,980. The highest fan attendance belonged to the Dallas Cowboys, who averaged 93,465 fans per game.
The numbers for Denver fans went down from 2021, when an average of 76,236 fans came to Empower Field at Mile High, and finishing third in the NFL for attendance. In 2022, games for the Broncos were increasingly frustrating for fans. This was exemplified by the Thursday Night Football meltdown against the Indianapolis Colts. In the 12-9 overtime loss, cameras showed fans streaming out of the stadium before overtime even began. In the Peyton Manning era, fans leaving the stadium would be unthinkable.
Before the 2023 season, Denver ownership announced over $100 million in stadium upgrades, including, but not limited to, enlarging the south scoreboard, improvements to the suite level of the stadium and installing two new elevators.
Despite the upgrades, in order for attendance to increase, the product on the field must be the main draw. With the hiring of head coach Sean Payton, the Broncos want to show that they are serious about finding a sense of identity and discipline. With identity and discipline, teams win games. Winning draws fans. That’s the simple math.
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