The Denver Broncos are negotiating a sponsorship in which local manufacturer Tuff Shed could advertise its products on tailgate shelters it is building for the parking lots at Invesco Field.
The NFL team is continuing to revitalize what was once a big tailgating environment in Denver. Pregame partyers packed the parking lots when Mile High Stadium and McNichols Arena stood at the site, but the atmosphere changed during the two-year construction of Invesco Field, which opened in 1999, said Mac Freeman, vice president of stadium operations for the Broncos.
“Tailgating took a big hit because we were juggling all the parking lots and traffic,” Freeman said. “There’s a strong commitment to bring that tradition back.
“Two years ago, we built a deck for our ‘most valuable tailgater’ promotion and offered larger parking spots for RVs. Now, we want to have a cabana-type tailgate structure on site.”
The Broncos visited Tuff Shed’s factory and are working with the company’s engineers to design portable units with a roof, grill space, bench seating and a rest room.
The NFL team plans to introduce up to two shelters midway through the 2004 season and may roll out 10 to 12 the following year depending on the demand, Freeman said. This season, they will be available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. He estimated the cost at $10,000 for the wood-and-steel shelters.
“This is a fan amenity for the loyal tailgaters that make a day of it,” said Freeman, who worked for SMG in operating Mile High Stadium for 12 years.
Tuff Shed builds everything from carports to cabins, said Phil Worth, the firm’s director of marketing, but this is the first time it has built something specifically tailored for private hospitality.
The company has done business previously with sports teams and facilities, building concession stands and storage sheds for the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and University of California-Irvine and clubhouses for golf courses.
Tuff Shed created a structure for the Denver Nuggets designed to store equipment at the team’s practice center, Worth said.
“The Broncos are smart,” he said. “They’re extending the fan experience into the parking lots, which hasn’t been done as much as it could be.”
