Los Angeles. Boston. New York City. All three cities are blue-blooded sports cities. Nearly everybody who lives in or around these cities is a diehard fan of at least one of the major sports teams located there. Part of the reason for this frequency of fans is the massive amount of success that the franchises located there have had since their inception. However, the argument could be made that one more city belongs on this list. Denver.

All since 2020, Denver has had a three-time NBA MVP, an NBA title, a Stanley Cup, an NHL MVP, and a Norris Trophy winner. If we rewind even further, let’s call it a decade, we can add a Super Bowl title to the list. Even outside of the so-called “big four sports” of hockey, baseball, football, and basketball, collegiate-level sports have found great success in Denver as of late. The University of Denver Pioneers have won multiple Frozen Four titles for hockey, Colorado State and Colorado both qualified for bowl games last season, and Colorado College has consistently had a nationally ranked hockey team for years. This list of accomplishments (which leaves the success of Denver sports drastically understated) even excludes the NLL Championship that the Colorado Mammoths won in lacrosse. 

Since the creation of the very first sports franchise in the state of Colorado, winning has been a lifestyle. So, with this impressive resume, why is Denver not among the greatest sports cities of all time?

One argument is the lack of true superstars who play or have played for the city’s franchises. But, almost immediately, this argument dissolves when you begin to delve into the incredibly long list of elite athletes that have played in Denver. To name a few:

John Elway, Terrell Davis, Champ Bailey, Peyton Manning, and Patrick Surtain II for the Broncos.

Todd Helton, Larry Walker, Vinny Castilla, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Nolan Arenado for the Rockies

Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy, Adam Foote, Cale Makar, and Nathan Mackinnon for the Avalanche.

Alex English, Carmelo Anthony, Dan Issel, Jamal Murray, and Nikola Jokic for the Nuggets.

This list of just 20 of the greatest athletes to ever come through Denver barely even scratches the surface of the all-time greats who have played here, but still includes an astounding 8 current Hall of Fame inductees. There is a very high likelihood that most of the remaining 12 will be enshrined soon, as many of them are still at the height of their playing careers.

So, with the argument that there is a lack of star power being debunked, let’s take a look at the next potential argument. The franchises haven’t seen enough success over the years. This is also patently false. Denver is home to 3 Lombardi Trophies, 3 Stanley Cups, a Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy, and a National League Pennant. All but one of the “Big 4” sports have won a league title, with the Rockies coming close in 2007 but losing to the Red Sox in the World Series.

Looking at these two arguments, it becomes clear that Denver is a city with a history of success, both for individual athletes and teams in their entirety. Because of this, it is long overdue for this city to get its flowers and be celebrated as one of the greatest cities in sports.