Fire marshal forces Denver Broncos to cut back on training camp crowds

“Someone then sent us the tweet and said ‘that seems like an awful lot, can it really hold that?’” South Metro Fire Department spokesman Eric Hurst told ESPN. “And just like any complaint our office would receive, our fire marshal’s office went there, visited the site. The Broncos staff at the time didn’t know how many people were in attendance at that moment.

“People leave, some come later, there was a question if all 7,000 people were there at the same time, but regardless, the fire marshal’s office then has some conversations with the Broncos moving forward and said that capacity needs to be adhered to.’’

Broncos fans flocked to training camp last year after acquiring quarterback Russell Wilson in the offseason. Many believed the nine-time Pro Bowl selection and Super Bowl champion would be the missing link and help Denver return to prominence in the AFC.

It didn’t quite pan out that way in 2022.

Instead, Denver concluded last season with a disappointing 5-12 record. Wilson was the captain of one of the worst offensive units in the NFL. It created a lot of anger and frustration among fans.

So, perhaps after last year’s failures, training camp wouldn’t be quite as popular this year anyway. But Denver did hire Payton, a proven offensive guru. And while the disappointments of last year’s team still linger, there’s still hope entering 2023.

To comply with local codes and the fire marshal’s orders, the Broncos have capped attendance at 3,000, using tickets as a way to keep track of fans. Entrance is free, but spectators must still possess a ticket to enter.

Even though it won’t be a record-setting crowd, 3,000 fans at training camp is still a huge number.