Broncos hoping for fans, preparing for everything

Behind the scenes, the Broncos have adopted a hope-and-prepare strategy for the upcoming season.

The organization hopes it can host fans for the Sept. 14 opener against Tennessee while also preparing for other scenarios due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re looking at anything and everything to ensure the safety and cleanliness of the stadium,” Broncos chief commercial officer Mac Freeman said in a phone interview.

“Our stadium group is working day and night right now preparing, as we all are, for football with fans in the fall.

“Obviously, we’ll wait to get full clarity on what it looks like, but right now, we’re going through and investigating every possible process and product that can help us create the safest environment we can for the fall.”

Some of the steps being taken are expected to be revealed Wednesday when the Metropolitan Football Stadium District holds a quarterly meeting and updates board members on the in-progress work. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell allowed team facilities, which includes employees who work at their club’s stadium, to re-open May 19, but without coaches and players.

Coaches were allowed to return to their offices June 5, but players remain prohibited from entering the facility save for those rehabilitating injuries. The Broncos are allowed to have 100 employees combined inside the practice facility and stadium offices.

“Thanks to some folks in our organization that got some responsibilities that weren’t in their job descriptions, we’ve actually had a pretty smooth transition to our first return-to-work phase,” Freeman said.

“There are obviously new procedures and policies, but right now, knock on wood, it’s been reasonably smooth.”

The Broncos and the MFSD could have the stadium ready to host fans, but it may not be up to them if the NFL deems the season start without spectators or a very limited number.

Freeman said the Broncos have the ability to run computer models of the seating chart to account for social distancing.

“There’s a computer program to space (fans) out to whatever (social distancing) guidelines you plug in,” he said. “But I can’t say we’re focused on that right now.

“We’re all still very hopeful we’re seeing a football season with fans in the fall and don’t have to come up with those other scenarios. But we’re certainly preparing if we need to pivot. Right now, we’re trying to stay bullish on having football with fans.”