Denver Broncos fans sent a message to the team on Sunday.
Per Sean Keeler of The Denver Post, 18,423 fans chose not to attend Sunday’s home game against the Cardinals, the third-most in franchise history.
Keeler writes, “it’s the third game of at least 12,000 no-shows since December 2018.”
The Broncos’ new ownership, the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group, might argue the poor showing ties to quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson sitting out due to injury. Recent trends demonstrate that it’s a chilly attitude toward the organization instead.
In 2021, a 7-10 Broncos team averaged around 86,000 fans per home game, the league’s second-most. In seven home games this year, that number dropped to approximately 76,000, according to Pro Football Reference.
Excluding the 2020 NFL season, which saw attendance plummet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the Broncos’ worst home attendance rate since 2010, when they went 4-12.
The 4-12 record in 2010 was the worst in modern franchise history. If the Broncos lose their next three games, they will surpass it.
Accomplishing this milestone would be a new low point. A low point Denver’s continued to drive toward since winning Super Bowl 50.
The Broncos have missed the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons, the league’s second-longest active drought, and haven’t had a winning season since 2016.
The constant ineptitude led to Denver fans’ message to the entire organization: fix it.
