Empower Field at Mile High

The Seat Call for a Broncos Game

If you can stretch the budget, the strongest seat at Empower Field at Mile High is a sideline seat in the 300-level club, which gives the raised angle many fans prefer for football and a heated indoor lounge for cold games. Close behind is a lower-level sideline seat in row 15 or higher, high enough to see over the players standing on the sideline. On a tighter budget, a 500-level seat between the 20-yard lines shows every formation clearly. The least expensive seats, in the upper corners and end zones, put the far end of the field a long way off.

The other factor is weather. The stadium is open to the sky at 5,280 feet, so early-season afternoon games bring strong sun and late-season games can bring snow and hard cold. Empower Field at Mile High seats 76,125, opened in 2001 as the successor to the original Mile High Stadium, and is home to the NFL's Denver Broncos. Big summer concert tours book it too.

Tier by Tier: 100, 300 and 500

The bowl has three seating tiers with suites tucked between them, and the lower tier circles the whole field.

• 100 level, the lower bowl. Entered from the main concourse and wrapping all four sides. The stadium's fan guide references 100-level sections at least from 105 through 133.
• 300 level, the club. A shorter tier concentrated along the sidelines, with indoor club space and an earlier gate time. One seating guide places club sections roughly at 300–315 and 331–346; treat those numbers as orientation and check your listing's map.
• 500 level, the upper deck. The top tier and the least expensive tickets. Colored seats in the north end zone's upper deck form the Broncos logo.
• Suites. 132 executive suites sit between the tiers.

On every tier, prices are highest at midfield and drop toward the corners and end zones. Published guides do not agree on which sideline holds the Broncos bench, so if you want to sit behind the home team, confirm it on the seat map for your specific listing.

Picking for Weather at Altitude

September and early October

Thin air means intense sun. Assume any uncovered seat will spend part of an afternoon game in direct sun. Sunscreen and a hat are not optional. The back rows of each tier sit beneath the deck above and pick up some shade, which makes them a smart pick on a hot day.

November through January

The same back rows now earn their keep by cutting wind and snow. The club tier's indoor space becomes far more valuable, and you can step inside during breaks without missing much. Dress in layers even if the morning looks mild.

Concert season

For end-stage shows, the 100- and 300-level sideline sections closest to the stage give the best angle. The far end of the 500 level, facing the stage head-on, is the most distant seat in the building. Each tour sets its own floor plan, so read the map on your listing.

Seats That Underdeliver

• Front rows in the end zones. They look close on a seat map but flatten the field, and players on the near sideline block the view. Twenty rows higher in the same section shows far more.
• Low sideline rows behind the benches. Standing players and staff fill the sightline for much of the game.
• Upper corners if you follow the whole game. Lowest-priced in the building, but action at the opposite goal line is tiny.
• Exposed seats at an early-season day game if you burn easily. The altitude sun is stronger than at sea level.

When Broncos Tickets Are Hardest to Get

The Broncos have sold out almost every home game since the AFL and NFL merged in 1970, so supply is always tight. The steepest demand falls on AFC West games, especially against the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders, on prime-time dates and on late-season games with playoff stakes. Preseason games in August are the easiest way into the building.

Visiting fans who travel well tend to buy the upper deck and end zones, which can lift prices there on certain weekends. For concerts, floor and lower sideline seats sell first. The regular season runs from September into early January, with home playoff games when the team qualifies.

Trains, Lots and Rideshare on Game Day

Plan around the train. The stadium counts about 6,500 on-site spaces, most of them held by season permit holders, plus roughly 15,000 off-site. As of the 2026 season, the stadium reports its pre-sold on-site permits are gone, and any remaining game-day spots are first come and card only.

• RTD light rail: the Empower Field at Mile High stop on the E and W lines is roughly eight minutes on foot from the gates. Decatur-Federal, on the W line, serves the other side of the stadium. Postgame platforms get crowded, so walking a few minutes to a quieter stop or waiting out the first wave helps.
• Rideshare: drop-off is at the northeast corner by Gate 5. After the game, pickup moves to the Ball Arena area at 5th and Walnut Streets, about 15 minutes away on foot.
• Denver Trolley: a game-day shuttle from Confluence Park near downtown.
• Tailgating: permitted in most lots, which open hours before kickoff; one permit covers one vehicle space.

For current lot maps, see the stadium's directions and parking page.

Bags, Tickets and Stadium Rules (2026 Season)

As of the 2026 season, the stadium runs a clear-bag policy (bags must be see-through plastic, vinyl or PVC):

• Allowed: one clear bag up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches, which includes clear backpacks and clear cinch bags, or a one-gallon zip-top plastic bag, plus one clutch or wallet up to 4.5 by 6.5 inches.
• Turned away: standard backpacks, oversized purses, camera cases, tinted or mesh bags and seat cushions with pockets.
• Medical needs: reviewed at the gate after inspection; the stadium asks you to contact it two business days in advance.
• Lockers: paid lockers sit outside Gate 8.

Concerts and non-football events can follow different rules. Gates open two hours before kickoff, or three for club and suite ticket holders. Tickets are mobile only and re-entry is not allowed. The stadium is cashless, with reverse ATMs that load cash onto a card, and alcohol sales stop in the third quarter. Confirm everything on the stadium's bag policy page before you go. Reserved Seat backs every order with a 100% guarantee.

Names, Landmarks and What Comes Next

The stadium opened on August 11, 2001, next to the site of Mile High Stadium, the Broncos' home since 1960. Naming-rights deals have changed the sign four times: Invesco Field at Mile High from 2001 to 2011, Sports Authority Field at Mile High from 2011 to 2018, Broncos Stadium at Mile High from 2018 to 2019, and Empower Field at Mile High since 2019. The concourse floors are steel, a nod to the old stadium's tradition of fans stomping for noise.

Bucky, a 30-foot horse statue, stands on top of the scoreboard, and a 225-foot-wide video board went in during a 2023 renovation. Natural Kentucky bluegrass has been the surface since 2015. The Colorado Rapids of MLS played here from 2002 to 2006 and the Denver Outlaws lacrosse club from 2006 to 2019, and Barack Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on the field in 2008. The Broncos have identified Burnham Yard as their preferred site for a privately funded new stadium aimed at 2031, a plan that may still shift.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Empower Field at Mile High
• Empower Field at Mile High – Clear Bag Policy
• Empower Field at Mile High – Fan Guide A-Z
• Empower Field at Mile High – Directions and Parking
• Stadiums of Pro Football – Empower Field at Mile High
• Wikipedia – Denver Broncos