Denver is an outdoor city full of urban adventure, and that spirit is reflected in the city’s passion for sports – professional, amateur and recreational. The Mile High City is home to seven professional sports teams; and these teams and their venues, along with an enthusiastic fan base for all types of sporting events, have also brought numerous world-class events to the city over the past several years.
In 2019, Denver will host a truly unique series of national sporting events, world championships and international matches, further elevating the city’s sports scene to a global stage.
“Denver is a premier sports destination, and this is going to be a banner year for sports in The Mile High City,” said Matthew Payne, executive director of Denver Sports Commission, the organization responsible for attracting many of the events to Denver. “The city’s appeal – with its 300 days of sunshine, seven professional sports teams, energetic fans and world-class venues – attracts these major national and international events, and we are honored to host them.”
From being named the first-ever North American destination for the UIAA World Cup Ice Climbing Finals and BARBEGAZI Winter Festival to bringing in two major international soccer games to being a repeat host of prestigious NCAA title events, Denver will assert its status as an international sports city.
Below is a list of the major sporting events taking place in Denver in 2019; for more details, please go to the VISIT DENVER Website.
USA Fencing Junior Olympics (February 15-18): The USA Fencing Junior Olympics, held at the Colorado Convention Center, will include Junior, Cadet and Junior Team games. The Junior Olympics are the final chance for young athletes to earn a spot in the Junior and Cadet World Championship competitions.
UIAA World Cup Ice Climbing Finals and BARBEGAZI Winter Festival (February 22-24): The American Alpine Club selected Denver as the first-ever North American tour stop for UIAA World Cup Ice Climbing Finals; Civic Center Park will serve as the destination for the 2019 event. The world’s top men and women ice climbers will compete for glory on a 50-foot tall wall of sheer ice. Additionally, all weekend long, the park will be transformed into BARBEGAZI, a free winter festival with fun for all ages, including axe throwing, a huge ice maze, fat tire biking and a snowball target range. Spectators can also enjoy food trucks, fire pits, an ice bar, a beer garden and music.
U.S. Women’s National Team vs. Australia (April 4): U.S. Soccer’s Women’s National Team will take on Australia at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park for a soccer match before they head to France to participate in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The match is part of the “Countdown to the Cup,” a ten-game, ten-city tour running from January to May leading up to the tournament.
Monster Energy Supercross (April 13): Experience the most competitive and highest-profile off-road motorcycle racing championship in the world. Monster Energy AMA Supercross, a FIM World Championship, is comprised of 17 heart-stopping races in North America's premier venues – including a stop at Broncos Stadium at Mile High. Every week, the greatest super cross racers from across the globe seek to outperform each other on the sport's most challenging tracks as they accumulate points leading up to the world championship. Featuring tight corners, fast straightaways, challenging rhythm sections, triple jumps and whoops sections, these tracks pack excitement into every inch of dirt.
National Collegiate Volleyball Federation Collegiate Club Championships (April 18-20): Denver and the Colorado Convention Center will be the host city and venue for the 2019 NCVF Collegiate Club Championships. Nearly 450 teams are expected to enter the competition, which Denver will be hosting for the first time.
NCAA Division II Softball Championship (May 23-27): Metropolitan State University (MSU) of Denver will host the national 2019 NCAA DII Softball Championship. MSU Denver previously hosted the 2016 NCAA Championships Festival in conjunction with the Denver Sports Commission, which featured softball, among several other collegiate sports.
North American Gay Volleyball Championships XXXVII (May 23-26): Denver will host the North American Gay Volleyball Association (NAGVA) Championships XXVII at the Colorado Convention Center. Committed to promoting and developing the sport of volleyball in the LGBTQ community, NAGVA hosts these championships in a different city every year. Denver has previously been honored to host championships in 2000, then in 2007 for NAGVA's Silver Anniversary.
CONCACAF Gold Cup (June 19): In mid-2018, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced that Broncos Stadium at Mile High will be one of the 15 venues in 13 U.S. metropolitan cities that will welcome the 2019 edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Taking place every two years, the CONCACAF Gold Cup features some of the Western Hemisphere’s best players. It is the official national team championship of the region, crowning the best national team in North and Central America and the Caribbean. CONCACAF has announced that Mexico will be one of the four teams playing in this summer’s double-header; and the other teams and the remainder of the schedule will be announced in coming months.
Colorado Classic (August 22-25): New this year, race organizers announced that the 2019 Colorado Classic – previously a series of men’s and women’s races in three Colorado cities – will be a women’s only race. It will be the only UCI standalone women’s stage race in the Western hemisphere; raising the bar with a quadrupled prize purse, team stipends, live streaming and longer, more challenging routes.
NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Championships (December 12-14): Metropolitan State University (MSU) of Denver will host the national 2019 NCAA DII Women’s Volleyball Championship. MSU Denver previously hosted the 2016 NCAA Championships Festival in conjunction with the Denver Sports Commission, which featured several collegiate sports.
About Denver Sports Commission: Denver Sports Commission is an official affiliate of VISIT DENVER, which is a resource for all sporting event organizers interested in Denver as a future location. The mission of Denver Sports is to proactively identify, pursue and attract new regional, national and international sports events and sports-related business opportunities that generate economic impact, engage the community and support Denver’s brand as an active, healthy city. More information can be found at VISITDENVER.com/DenverSports.
About VISIT DENVER, the Convention & Visitors Bureau: Celebrating 110 years of promoting The Mile High City, VISIT DENVER is a nonprofit trade association that contracts with the City of Denver to market Denver as a convention and leisure destination, increasing economic development in the city, creating jobs and generating taxes. A record 17.4 million visitors stayed overnight in Denver in 2017, generating $6.5 billion in spending, while supporting nearly 59,300 jobs, making Tourism one of the largest industries in Denver. Learn more about Denver on the VISITDENVER website and at TOURISMPAYSDENVER or by phone at 800 2 Denver. Denver International Airport (DEN; flydenver.com) connects The Mile High City to more than 200 destinations worldwide. Follow Denver’s social media channels for up-to-the-minute updates at: Facebook.com/visitdenver; Twitter.com/visitdenver; Instagram.com/visitdenver; and YouTube.com/visitdenver.
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