Denver Summit FC shatters NWSL attendance record in home opener
DENVER — Denver Summit FC didn’t hide its ambitions when the expansion franchise announced in November that it would play its very first home match at the home of the Denver Broncos. The Summit wanted to set a new NWSL attendance record — one that would shatter the previous record of 40,091 for last year’s Bay FC match at Oracle Park in San Francisco. Mission accomplished.
The Summit and Washington Spirit drew a record 63,004 fans for their match at Empower Field on Saturday, setting the bar for a league that grew to 16 teams this spring after adding Denver and Boston Legacy FC. “This is a pinch-me day,” team owner Rob Cohen said on the CBS game broadcast. “We set out a vision.
… We wanted to have over 60,000 people here, and it looks like we accomplished that. ” Denver plans to construct its own 14,500-seat stadium a few miles south of Empower Field. The team hopes to play most of its home games this season and next at a 12,000-seat modular stadium in Centennial, a Denver suburb, before moving to its permanent home in 2028.
The fan base has grown quickly, with the club topping 15,000 season-ticket deposits in September . “Denver is an incredible sports city; they have a lot of love for their teams,” Cohen said. “I think the fact that we haven’t had a professional women’s team in this town, (Denver Summit FC) is filling a need.
” The Summit claimed their first win last week with a stunning 2-0 victory against reigning league champion Gotham FC. With a 1-1-1 record entering Saturday afternoon’s game, the franchise has proven it won’t be a pushover in its inaugural season. “It’s all about expecting and demanding excellence day in and day out,” Cohen said.