The NFL season begins tonight with Ravens-Broncos on NBC, and Denver leaders are supporting the home team under the "United in Orange" catch phrase. The Denver City and County building "will be lit up in orange lights," and Mayor Michael Hancock "plans to lead fans on a bicycle procession from the City and County building to the game" at about 3:30pm MT. A message from Hancock will be played on Denver Int'l Airport trains "throughout the day, and DIA welcome signs will display 'Go Broncos'" (DENVER POST, 9/5).
In Baltimore, more than 20,000 people "could crowd the Inner Harbor" tonight for an NFL season kickoff concert headlined by Keith Urban as "tens of thousands more flood in for an Orioles game." NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said of the Super Bowl champions not hosting the game: "We would've loved to have been here. We had a scheduling conflict, and we had to honor that. ... But we're going to have a great celebration nonetheless" (Baltimore SUN, 9/5).
NBC's "Today" show has Al Roker in Denver for this morning's broadcast, with constant promotion for tonight's game. USA TODAY goes with a front-page story focused on player behavior under the header, "Arrests A Big Test For League's Image," while a 14-page NFL Kickoff preview section features full-page ads from league sponsors Bud Light, Visa, Lenovo, Bridgestone and Microsoft (THE DAILY).
