As an avid supporter of DNVR Tailgates, our experience at this season’s home opener was shockingly disappointing. We’ve never encountered most of the issues we did on Sunday, and honestly, it has us questioning if we’ll return.
1. Lines, lines, lines — We’ve never had to wait in long lines just to enter the venue. Meanwhile, a large opposing fan group was allowed in early with zero wait. On top of that, we spent a huge portion of the tailgate standing in drink lines instead of actually enjoying the event.
2. Food availability — The tailgate is advertised as all-you-can-eat-and-drink, yet the pizza was gone before we even got inside. We then had to wait a substantial amount of time for restocking, and when it finally arrived, it was wiped out instantly. I managed to grab only one slice, and because I’m not a fan of the BBQ, pizza was my only real food option.
3. Seating issues — Our group set up near the small Broncos table/umbrella, and the bench collapsed under someone in our party, causing every drink we had to spill. The bench clearly had issues with the locking mechanism. What made it worse was that no one from DNVR even checked on the person who fell. It was embarrassing and left one of our party members completely drenched.
4. Opposing fan presence — We fully support an inclusive tailgate, and as fans who travel to Broncos away games with frequency, we appreciate that. But the sheer volume of opposing fans this time was overwhelming and should have been advertised. This is a DNVR tailgate — we expected it to feel more Broncos-centric especially being the home opener. Instead, opposing fans were given early or expedited entry, and a few displayed rude behavior well beyond normal friendly banter.
5. Missing tailgate games — Our group always looks forward to cornhole and beer pong. These have been staples at past DNVR tailgates, and we were very disappointed to find they weren’t available at all.
6. Positives — Not everything was negative. DJ AG was, as always, fantastic. His energy, music, and welcoming attitude are always a highlight. DNVR has a gem in him.
Overall, this tailgate fell far below the standard DNVR has set over the years. My husband, I and the rest of our group left frustrated, disappointed.