Game On in Boulder: Mixing Sports and Adventure in Colorado
Our wonderful region obviously has more than its fair share of attractions. Visitors flock to the Centennial State for a whole range of reasons and many never want to leave. However, in recent years, people have started deciding on vacation spots with a different set of criteria. For many, mixing travel and sports is not an issue at all.
Sports tourism is now a major deal and Boulder – as well as the wider state of Colorado – has not escaped this new demographic’s attention. They want to use the range of Colorado betting apps now available, as well as visit some of the iconic sports stadiums we are lucky to have here.
For anyone thinking about the possibility of a sports-themed vacation, here are some of the best places to consider in Boulder and surrounding areas. Colorado is home to millions of sports lovers and the passion the fans show here is just one reason why many visitors are also checking out what is going on.
Go Buffaloes!
Although most of the professional sports team action in Colorado is centered on the Denver metropolitan area, we could not start off a round-up of teams to check out without repping Boulder’s very own University of Colorado Buffaloes. With programs covering football, basketball, and a range of other sports, college sports is rarely as exciting.
All the Buffaloes football and basketball teams play their games on campus in the center of Boulder and you should really try to get a ticket to a game if you are interested in sports at all. There are also Division I programs at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CSU in Fort Collins, the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, as well as the University of Denver.
Football Fever
Colorado is actually the least populous state to boast a franchise in each of the major professional sports leagues. Football is the nation’s favorite sport though, and we have the Denver Broncos to get behind. The team play at the Empower Field in Mile High, right in the center of the city.
Anyone familiar with football will have heard of the legendary John Elway, who led the team in the 1980s and 1990s, including the franchise’s first Super Bowl win. There have been two more since, with the most recent coming in 2015. There hasn’t been much success in the last few years but the Broncos made the playoffs in 2024 and the fans are always 100% behind their team.
Come for the Hoops, Stay for the Hockey
If you make your way to Denver during the basketball or hockey seasons you might be able to time your visit just right to catch both the city’s teams in action. The city itself is only 25 miles down the road and the Ball Arena is even more handily located than Empower Field – and is home to both the NBA’s Nuggets and the Avalanche of the NHL.
The Nuggets won their first-ever championship in 2023 and have the luxury of fielding Nikola Jokić, the NBA’s best player. Tickets might be tough to come by but a night with the Nuggets is always worth it. It is not as though the Avalanches are not worth seeing either though. NHL hockey returned to Denver in 1995 and the Avs won the Stanley Cup the very first season. There have been two more championships since then, with the most recent only three years ago.
America’s Pastime
If you prefer your sports action on the warmer side and able to provide you with a hit of nostalgia, baseball is the answer – and Coors Field is where Colorado fans go for their fix. The ballpark is, once again, handily placed in the downtown area of Denver and Rockies fans have been cheering on their favorites since the expansion club was awarded in 1993.
With so many baseball games every season, there is more chance of a ticket to catch the Rockies than the Broncos, for example, and all the traditional attractions are available. Unfortunately, the team has not been as successful as some of the others from Colorado. There have been no championships won as yet, although the Rockies did make it to the World Series in 2007. Hope springs eternal though and the laid-back experience of watching a ball game in such a perfect setting makes up for it all anyway.
Big Four + One
Not only does Colorado have its own team in all of the Big Four pro sports leagues, there is also a top-level soccer team just up the road from Denver in Commerce City. One of the founding clubs of Major League Soccer, the Colorado Rapids has consistently attracted big crowds to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in the east of the city.
The Rapids have one championship to its name but you might be able to watch some of the finest soccer players in the world, as MLS becomes a greater force in the global game. There’s always a good crowd to watch the Rapids and, with the World Cup coming to the US in 2026, soccer is only going to be more popular in the years ahead.
Sports in Boulder and Beyond
With Boulder surrounded by thousands of acres of incredible landscape and recreational open space, there are plenty of outdoor activities to explore in the immediate region. But if you did want to catch some pro sports action, we have you covered too.
There are also high school, club, and minor league teams all across Colorado. So, if sports is a major part of your life, Colorado is definitely a place to consider for your next vacation.