Colorado is a state with a deep appreciation for sports, boasting a rich history of successful professional teams across a range of disciplines. From the Denver Broncos’ dominance in football to the Colorado Avalanche’s impressive performances on the ice, Colorado sports teams have thrilled and entertained fans for decades.
Best Colorado Sports Teams
In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the five best Colorado sports teams of all time, including the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rockies, Colorado Avalanche, and Colorado Rapids.
So get ready to learn about the greatest sports teams in Colorado and what makes them so special.
1. The Denver Broncos – Football
In the first place on our list of best sports teams in Colorado is the Denver Broncos. This football team plays at Empower Field at Mile High, and their history goes back to 1960. They got off to a slow start in their early years but then became one of the top teams in the NFL by winning three Super Bowls and eight AFC championships from 1977 onward.
Their overall record for winning seasons is among the best in the sport, and fans are currently hoping to see the Broncos recover from a recent run of six consecutive losing seasons.
Among the most famous Broncos of the past, we can see legendary football names like John Elway, Shannon Sharpe, and Champ Bailey, who are among the eight names the franchise has contributed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Right now, Denver fans are hoping that new head coach Sean Payton can inspire them back to winning ways in the next season.
Their key players currently include quarterback Russell Wilson, who joined in 2022 after a decade with the Seattle Seahawks but had a disappointing first season in Colorado. New signings in 2023 include Zach Allen, Ben Powers, and Jarrett Stidham, as the team looks to improve from the 2022 season and make their first playoff appearance since they won the Super Bowl in 2015.
đ¸ WR depth
đš Preseason playing time
đ¸ Free-agent additionsTop takeaways from HC @SeanPayton's media availability at @NFL Annual Meeting Âť https://t.co/nuJhjU6IVO pic.twitter.com/bfzYOR1vmT
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) March 27, 2023
Bet On NFL In Colorado
The NFL futures betting at ClutchBuzz has them far down the list of favorites to win the 2023-23 championship, which will be decided at Super Bowl LVII at Allegiant Stadium in Paradis, Nevada. At the moment, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills are leading the odds, but things could change following the 2023 NFL draft.
However, the Broncos need to wait until the third round to make their fhttps://www.clutchbuzz.bet//United-States-of-America/NFL-Futures-2023~2F24/NFL-Futures-2023~2F24/196443/All-Marketsirst move, as they traded their first and second-round picks to the Seattle Seahawks as part of the deal that brought Russell Wilson to Denver.
Check our Colorado NFL betting guide for help.
2. The Denver Nuggets – Basketball
NBA fans can follow one of the best Colorado professional sports teams – the Denver Nuggets, who started life as the Denver Larks in 1967 before becoming the Rockets. In 1974, the Nuggets name was adopted, and the team had several successful periods of qualifying for the playoffs over numerous successive seasons. They play their games in the Western Conference Northwest Division of the NBA and their home venue is Ball Arena in Denver.
The Nuggets have never reached the NBA Finals and at the time of writing they are still hoping to do so this season. Nikola JokiÄ has been their star player in the last few seasons, winning the NBA Most Valuable Player Award for 2020-21 and 2021-22, and is arguably the key to them managing to win the Finals for the first time. The Serbian international follows in the footsteps of fondly remembered players like Carmelo Anthony, Dan Issel, and Alex English.
With betting on basketball and other major sports now legal in Colorado, itâs possible to find the latest odds for the Nuggets at ClutchBuzz. Theyâre currently behind the Milwaukee Bucks, the Boston Celtics, and the Phoenix Suns in the odds to win the 2022-23 Finals, but a recent win against the Bucks has raised hopes that they could put in a strong postseason this time.
Ball Arena isnât only home to the Nuggets, as the Colorado Avalanche play NHL games here and the Colorado Mammoth are part of the National Lacrosse League and also have this as their home venue. As for the name, the current team adopted it in the 1970s in tribute to the original Denver Nuggets basketball team who played from 1948 to 1950 as the first major pro sports franchise in the state of Colorado.
First to clinch in the West âď¸
Northwest Division Title âď¸WEâRE IN pic.twitter.com/1P8DNsFhh5
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) March 17, 2023
3. The Colorado Rockies – Baseball
If you prefer to watch baseball games, you probably have a soft spot for the Colorado Rockies, one of the most well-known Colorado pro sports teams. Based at Coors Field in Denver, this team competes in the National League West division of the MLB. They began life in the 1993 season, playing at the Mile High Stadium before moving to their current home field a couple of years later.
The Rockies have a record of making it through to the postseason games on five occasions, each time by entering as a Wild card winner. Of those five times, 2007 was the most memorable, as the Rockies ended a series of disappointing seasons to win 14 of their last 15 games and end as the National League pennant winner for the only time to date. This led to them entering the 2007 World Series with a powerful record of 21 wins from 22 games, but they lost to the Boston Red Sox in four games.
The Colorado Rockies made history by getting to the postseason stage twice in consecutive seasons for the time in 2017 and 2018. This was their last time getting to the postseason games and the 2022 season was hugely disappointing. The 2023 season started poorly with injuries as the spring training camp immediately tested the depth of the roster. For a good season, they need key players like Kris Bryant, GermĂĄn MĂĄrquez, and Kyle Freeland to stay fit and play to the best of their ability.
If you think a particular player is going to have a great season then you could look at the MLB futures section on ClutchBuzz. Here, we can see MĂĄrquez listed on the odds for the seasonâs strikeout leader, although heâs quoted far behind the favorites who are Gerrit Cole, Corbin Burnes, and Spencer Strider.
Tovar's got talent âď¸ pic.twitter.com/3Espz0sY60
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) March 26, 2023
4. The Colorado Avalanche – Ice Hockey
Ice hockey fans can go to Ball Arena in Denver to watch the Colorado Avalanche in action. This franchise has been around since 1972, although it started life as the Quebec Nordiques of the World Hockey Association. Following a switch to the NHL, they relocated to Denver in 1995. Currently, the Avalanche play in the Central Division in the Western Conference of the NHL.
They won the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers in their first season playing in Denver, and in the process became the first sports team in Denver to win one of the major pro sports leagues. They then won their second Stanley Cup Final in 2001, by defeating the New Jersey Devils. The 2022 Stanley Cup Finals brought another success story, as the Avalanche took six games to win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
This record means that the Colorado Avalanche is the only active NHL franchise to have won in every one of their Stanley Cup Finals appearances. The Boston Bruins are favorites to win the championship this season, with the Avalanche behind them in second place on the latest ClutchBuzz listing. Colorado has suffered through a long series of injuries this season but could be getting into top form just in time to make a strong finish to the season.
Nothing better than a Bo Byram smile after a W đ#BudLightCelly #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/zoDsbiU9um
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) March 28, 2023
5. The Colorado Rapids – Soccer
The stateâs MLS team is known as the Colorado Rapids and they play at Dickâs Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. The team has been active since 1995, making them one of the founding members of the MLS. Their record in the MLS Cup makes for interesting reading, as they lost the final to D.C. United in 1997 before winning it in 2010 by beating FC Dallas 2-1,
Another major final appearance came in 1999, when they lost the U.S. Open Cup to Rochester Raging Rhinos. Apart from that, the Rocky Mountain Cup adds some extra spice to the season, as itâs awarded each year to either The Rapids or Real Salt Lake, depending upon which of the teams wins more points in their games against each other.
The 2022 season was a poor one for the Rapids, as they finished in 18th place overall in the MLS and didnât qualify for the playoffs. In the CONCACAF Champions League, they were beaten by Comunicaciones F.C. in the round of 16, while in the US Open Cup they were defeated by Minnesota United FC in the round of 32, and also lost the Rocky Mountain Cup.
"It's really about his willingness and desire to get in front of the goal."
Head coach Robin Fraser praised KĂŠvin Cabral's efforts that led to his first goal for the Rapids over the weekend.
đ Âť https://t.co/7D53Vz1N9s pic.twitter.com/5F6wSDHXJ9
— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) March 27, 2023
2023 MLS Season Expectations
With the 2023 MLS season just starting, the Rapids have added depth with the acquisitions of Andreas Masxø, KĂŠvin Cabral, and Connor Ronan to their roster but could still struggle to reach the playoffs. Like the other teams and sports weâve mentioned here, you can bet on the Colorado Rapidsâ MLS games at ClutchBuzz, with online sports betting now legal and easier than ever before to carry out in the state.
All of these Colorado sports teams have given us plenty of exciting moments in the past and are sure to do so again in the future. If you enjoy watching sports then following any of them will give you a chance to catch some top sporting action and also to feel part of a vibrant community of like-minded fans.
Credits on Featured Image: Thelastcanadian, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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