03/28/26 05:18:00
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03/28 17:13 CDT Denver Summit shatters NWSL crowd record with 63,004 fans at
Mile High
Denver Summit shatters NWSL crowd record with 63,004 fans at Mile High
By ANNE M. PETERSON
AP Soccer Writer
The expansion Denver Summit's match against the Washington Spirit on Saturday
broke the National Women's Soccer League record for attendance with its
announced crowd of 63,004.
Fans at the Denver Broncos' home stadium broke the previous NWSL record of
40,091 who attended Bay FC's match against the Spirit last season at Oracle
Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.
In 2024, the Chicago Stars drew 35,038 to a game against Bay FC that was played
at Wrigley Field, home to the Cubs.
"This is a big deal, and it's very important," fan Karmryn Eversole said. "And
I think it's a huge milestone for women's sports to prove that we want more
women's courts. And this is what we want, and we're here supporting it, and we
want to show it."
The match was the Summit's first at home in Colorado. The team played its first
three on the road, going 1-1-1. The game against the Spirit on Saturday ended
in a scoreless draw.
Denver was awarded the 16th NWSL franchise in January 2025 for a reported
expansion fee of $110 million. The Summit started play this season along with
the Boston Legacy.
"I mean, I think it means everything," fan Nicole DeLue said. "If you look at
the amount of Denver women's players that have gone to the World Cup, made the
national team. We've always been a strong feeder. So to finally have a home
base here is just incredible."
After the opener at Mile High, the Summit will play home games at Dick's
Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, home of the Colorado Rapids in MLS. In
July, the team will move to the temporary 12,000-seat Centennial Stadium while
a women's soccer stadium is built in downtown Denver.
The Summit announced earlier this week they had closed on land at Santa Fe
Yards for the future stadium, which the club hopes will be complete by the 2028
season.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
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