Colorado
Culture -- Sports
Table:
Team

Home

First game

Sport

League

Boulder County Bombers

Boulder

November 2011

Roller derby

Women's Flat Track Derby Association

Colorado Avalanche

Denver

October 6, 1995

Ice hockey

National Hockey League

Colorado Eagles

Loveland

October 17, 2003

Ice hockey

American Hockey League

Colorado Mammoth

Denver

January 3, 2003

Lacrosse

National Lacrosse League

Colorado Rapids

Commerce City

April 13, 1996

Soccer

Major League Soccer

Colorado Rockies

Denver

April 5, 1993

Baseball

Major League Baseball

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

Colorado Springs

March 28, 2015

Soccer

USL Championship

Denver Barbarians

Denver

Spring 1967

Rugby union

Pacific Rugby Premiership

Denver Broncos

Denver

September 9, 1960

American football

National Football League

Denver Nuggets

Denver

September 27, 1967

Basketball

National Basketball Association

Denver Outlaws

Denver

May 20, 2006

Lacrosse

Major League Lacrosse

Glendale Raptors

Glendale

Fall 2006

Rugby union

Major League Rugby

Grand Junction Rockies

Grand Junction

June 18, 2012

Baseball

Pioneer League (Rookie, Minor League Baseball)

Rocky Mountain Rollergirls

Denver

July 2005

Roller derby

Women's Flat Track Derby Association

Rocky Mountain Vibes

Colorado Springs

June 2019

Baseball

Pioneer League (Rookie, Minor League Baseball)

With reference to the following table plus the textual context provided.

Give the answer to the question: In which city is this league based in that is affiliated with this association founded in April 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition ? Return your answer as JSON: {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Base your answer solely on the given information.

The Boulder County Bombers ( BCB ) is a women 's flat track roller derby league based in Longmont , Colorado . Founded in 2011 , Boulder County is a member of the Women 's Flat Track Derby Association ( WFTDA ) .
Boulder ( /ˈboʊldər/ ) is the home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Boulder County , Colorado , United States . It is the state 's 11th-most-populous municipality ; Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 5,430 feet ( 1,655 m ) above sea level . The city is 25 miles ( 40 km ) northwest of Denver . The population of the City of Boulder was 97,385 people at the 2010 U.S. Census , while the population of the Boulder , CO Metropolitan Statistical Area was 294,567 . Boulder is known for its association with gold seekers and for being the home of the main campus of the University of Colorado , the state 's largest university . The city frequently receives high rankings in art , health , well-being , quality of life , and education .
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating counter-clockwise around a track . Roller derby is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide , mostly inside the United States . Game play consists of a series of short scrimmages ( jams ) in which both teams designate a jammer ( who wears a unique designation on the helmet ; currently a star ) . The jammer scores points by lapping members of the opposing team . The teams attempt to hinder the opposing jammer while assisting their own jammer - in effect , playing both offense and defense simultaneously .
The Women 's Flat Track Derby Association ( WFTDA ) is the international governing body for the sport of women 's flat track roller derby , and association of leagues around the world . The organization was founded in April 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition ( ULC ) , but was renamed in November 2005 . It is registered in Raleigh , North Carolina as a 501 ( c ) ( 6 ) business league organization , a type of nonprofit organization . According to its mission statement , the WFTDA promotes and fosters the sport of women 's flat track roller derby by facilitating the development of athletic ability , sportsmanship , and goodwill among member leagues , and its governing philosophy is by the skaters , for the skaters - the primary owners , managers , and operators of each member league and of the association are women skaters , although this does not preclude any particular business structure ( leagues do n't have to be legally incorporated or internally egalitarian ) . The mission statement also says WFTDA sets standards for rules , seasons , and safety , and determining guidelines for the national and international athletic competitions of member leagues , and says all member leagues have a voice in the decision-making process , and agree to comply with WFTDA policies .
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver . They compete in the National Hockey League ( NHL ) as a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference . The Avalanche are the only team in their division not based in the Central Time Zone ; the team is situated in the Mountain Time Zone . Their home arena is Pepsi Center , which they share with the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association . Their general manager is Joe Sakic . The Avalanche were founded in 1972 as the Quebec Nordiques and were one of the charter franchises of the World Hockey Association . The franchise joined the NHL in 1979 as a result of the NHL-WHA merger . Following the 1994-95 season , they were sold to the COMSAT Entertainment Group and relocated to Denver . In the club 's first season in Denver , the Avalanche won the Pacific Division and went on to sweep the Florida Panthers in the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals , becoming the first NHL team to win the Stanley Cup in the season following a relocation . Among teams in the major North American professional sports leagues , only the National Football League ( NFL ) 's Washington Redskins have also accomplished the feat . This was the first major professional sports championship a Denver-based team brought to the city . In the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals , the Avalanche defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-3 to win their second and most recent championship .
Denver ( /ˈdɛnvər/ ) , officially the City and County of Denver , is the capital and most populous municipality of the U.S. state of Colorado . Denver is located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains . With an estimated population of 716,492 in 2018 , Denver is the 19th-most populous U.S. city , and with a 19.38% increase since the 2010 United States Census , it has been one of the fastest-growing major cities in the United States . The metropolitan city is located in the middle of the extensive Southern Rocky Mountain Front with Cheyenne , Wyoming , to the north and Albuquerque , New Mexico , to the south , this rapidly growing region has a population of 5,467,633 , according to the 2010 United States Census . The Denver downtown district is immediately east of the confluence of Cherry Creek with the South Platte River , approximately 12 mi ( 19 km ) east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains . Denver is named after James W. Denver , a governor of the Kansas Territory . It is nicknamed the Mile High City because its official elevation is exactly one mile ( 5280 feet or 1609.3 meters ) above sea level . The 105th meridian west of Greenwich , the longitudinal reference for the Mountain Time Zone , passes directly through Denver Union Station . Denver is ranked as a Beta world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . The 10-county Denver-Aurora-Lakewood , CO Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated 2018 population of 2,932,415 and is the 19th most populous U.S. metropolitan statistical area . The 12-city Denver-Aurora , CO Combined Statistical Area had an estimated 2018 population of 3,572,798 and is the 15th most populous U.S. metropolitan area . Denver is the most populous city of the 18-county Front Range Urban Corridor , an oblong urban region stretching across two states with an estimated 2018 population of 4,976,781 .
Ice hockey is a contact team sport played on ice , usually in a rink , in which two teams of skaters use their sticks to shoot a vulcanized rubber puck into their opponent 's net to score goals . The sport is known to be fast-paced and physical , with teams usually fielding six players at a time : one goaltender , and five players who skate the span of the ice trying to control the puck and score goals against the opposing team . Ice hockey is most popular in Canada , central and eastern Europe , the Nordic countries , Russia , and the United States . Ice hockey is the official national winter sport of Canada . In addition , ice hockey is the most popular winter sport in Belarus , Croatia , the Czech Republic , Finland , Latvia , Russia , Slovakia , Sweden , and Switzerland . North America 's National Hockey League ( NHL ) is the highest level for men 's ice hockey and the strongest professional ice hockey league in the world . The Kontinental Hockey League ( KHL ) is the highest league in Russia and much of Eastern Europe . The International Ice Hockey Federation ( IIHF ) is the formal governing body for international ice hockey , with the IIHF managing international tournaments and maintaining the IIHF World Ranking . Worldwide , there are ice hockey federations in 76 countries . In Canada , the United States , Nordic countries , and some other European countries the sport is known simply as hockey ; the name ice hockey is used in places where hockey more often refers to the more popular field hockey , such as countries in South America , Asia , Africa , Australasia , and some European countries including the United Kingdom , Ireland and the Netherlands . Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in the 18th and 19th centuries in the United Kingdom and elsewhere . These games were brought to North America and several similar winter games using informal rules were developed , such as shinny and ice polo .
The National Hockey League ( NHL ; French : Ligue nationale de hockey - LNH ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America , currently comprising 31 teams : 24 in the United States and 7 in Canada . The NHL is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world , and one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . The Stanley Cup , the oldest professional sports trophy in North America , is awarded annually to the league playoff champion at the end of each season . The National Hockey League was organized on November 26 , 1917 , at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal after the suspension of operations of its predecessor organization , the National Hockey Association ( NHA ) , which had been founded in 1909 in Renfrew , Ontario . The NHL immediately took the NHA 's place as one of the leagues that contested for the Stanley Cup in an annual interleague competition before a series of league mergers and foldings left the NHL as the only league left competing for the Stanley Cup in 1926 . At its inception , the NHL had four teams - all in Canada , thus the adjective National in the league 's name . The league expanded to the United States in 1924 , when the Boston Bruins joined , and has since consisted of American and Canadian teams . From 1942 to 1967 , the league had only six teams , collectively ( if not contemporaneously ) nicknamed the Original Six . The NHL added six new teams to double its size at the 1967 NHL expansion . The league then increased to 18 teams by 1974 and 21 teams in 1979 . Between 1991 and 2000 , the NHL further expanded to 30 teams . It added its 31st team in 2017 and has approved the addition of a 32nd team in 2021 .
The Colorado Eagles are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Loveland , Colorado . The Eagles play in the Pacific Division of the American Hockey League 's Western Conference . The Eagles were founded as an expansion franchise in 2003 in the Central Hockey League and remained in the league until June 2011 , when they joined the ECHL . During their time in the CHL , the Eagles won two Ray Miron President 's Cups , three regular season titles , five conference titles and six division titles in eight seasons . The team was granted a membership as an expansion team in the American Hockey League beginning with the 2018-19 season as the affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League . The Eagles play at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland and serve the Fort Collins-Loveland metropolitan area .
Loveland is the Home Rule Municipality that is the second most populous municipality in Larimer County , Colorado , United States . Loveland is situated 46 miles ( 74 km ) north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver and is the 14th most populous city in Colorado . As of the 2010 census the population of Loveland was 66,859 , and in 2018 the population was estimated at 77,446 . The city forms part of the Fort Collins-Loveland Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Front Range Urban Corridor . The city 's public schools are part of the Thompson R2-J School District .
The American Hockey League ( AHL ) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . Since the 2010-11 season , every team in the league has an affiliation agreement with one NHL team . When NHL teams do not have an AHL affiliate , players are assigned to AHL teams affiliated with other NHL teams . Twenty-seven AHL teams are located in the United States and the remaining four are in Canada . The league offices are located in Springfield , Massachusetts , and its current president is David Andrews . In general , a player must be at least 18 years of age to play in the AHL or not currently be beholden to a junior ice hockey team . The league limits the number of experienced professional players on a team 's active roster during any given game ; only five skaters can have accumulated four full seasons of play or more at the professional level ( goaltenders are exempt from this rule and can stay in the AHL indefinitely without being subject to this cap ) . The AHL allows for practice squad contracts . The annual playoff champion is awarded the Calder Cup , named for Frank Calder , the first President ( 1917-1943 ) of the NHL . The reigning champions are the Charlotte Checkers .
The Colorado Mammoth are a box lacrosse team playing in the National Lacrosse League . The Mammoth have played at Pepsi Center in Denver , Colorado , since the 2003 season . They are owned by Stan Kroenke , who is also the owner of the Colorado Avalanche , Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Rapids of MLS . The Mammoth franchise previously played as the Baltimore Thunder from 1987 to 1999 , the Pittsburgh CrosseFire in 2000 , and the Washington Power from 2001 to 2002 . Up until the joining of the expansion team San Diego Seals , Colorado was the only non-Canadian team in the Western Division from 2014-2018 . They have only missed the playoffs once since moving to Colorado . In 2004 and from 2006 to 2008 , the Mammoth lead the league in attendance . 2006 was the first year in the 20-year history of the NLL that the league had an attendance of more than one million fans in one season . The Mammoth had the honor of hosting fan number one million . In 2008 , the Mammoth average attendance per game was higher than Pepsi Center 's other teams , the Colorado Avalanche ( NHL ) and the Denver Nuggets ( NBA ) .
Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball . It is the oldest organized sport in North America , with its origins in a tribal game played by eastern Woodlands indigenous peoples and by some Plains Indians tribes in what is now the United States of America and Canada . The game was extensively modified reducing the violence by European colonizers to create its current collegiate and professional form . The modern sport is governed by World Lacrosse and is the only international sport organization to recognize First Nations bands and Native American tribes as sovereign nations . The organization hosts the World Lacrosse Championship for men , the Women 's Lacrosse World Cup , the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship for box lacrosse , and the Under-19 World Lacrosse Championships for both men and women . Each is held every four years . Lacrosse at the Summer Olympics has been contested at two editions of the Summer Olympic Games , 1904 and 1908 . It was also held as a demonstration event at the 1928 , 1932 , and 1948 Summer Olympics . Players use the head of the lacrosse stick to carry , pass , catch , and shoot the ball into the goal . The sport has four versions that have different sticks , fields , rules and equipment : field lacrosse , women 's lacrosse , box lacrosse and intercrosse . The men 's games , field lacrosse ( outdoor ) and box lacrosse ( indoor ) , are contact sports and all players wear protective gear : helmet , gloves , shoulder pads , and elbow pads . The women 's game is played outdoors and does not allow body contact but does allow stick to stick contact .
The National Lacrosse League ( NLL ) is a men 's professional box lacrosse league in North America . Headquartered in Conshohocken , Pennsylvania , the NLL currently has thirteen teams : eight in the United States and five in Canada . The NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide , behind only the NHL and NBA . Unlike other box lacrosse leagues which play in the summer , the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring , from December to June . Each year , the playoff teams battle for the National Lacrosse League Cup . The NLL has averaged between 8,900 and 10,700 spectators per game each year since 2004 .
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City , Colorado . The Rapids compete in Major League Soccer ( MLS ) as a member of the Western Conference . The franchise began play in 1996 as one of the charter clubs in MLS . Colorado won the MLS Cup in 2010 , their second MLS Cup appearance . The first appearance was in 1997 , losing to D.C. United . They were also runners up of the U.S. Open Cup in the 1999 tournament , where they lost to the Rochester Raging Rhinos , the last time a non-MLS team has won the Cup . The Rapids play their home games at Dick 's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City , moving to the stadium after it opened during the 2007 season .
The City of Commerce City is a Home Rule Municipality located in Adams County , Colorado , United States . Commerce City is a northern suburb of Denver and as of 2013 [ update ] is the 18th most populous municipality in Colorado . The city population was 45,913 at the 2010 United States Census , a population increase of 118.7% in the ten years since the 2000 census . Commerce City is a mixed residential and industrial community that is known for an oil refinery with a capacity of 90,000 barrels per day ( 14,000 m3/d ) , operated by Suncor . Dick 's Sporting Goods Park , a soccer stadium in Commerce City , hosts the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer .
Association football , more commonly known as football or soccer , [ a ] is a team sport played with a spherical ball between two teams of 11 players . It is played by approximately 250 million players in over 200 countries and dependencies , making it the world 's most popular sport . The game is played on a rectangular field called a pitch with a goal at each end . The object of the game is to score by moving the ball beyond the goal line into the opposing goal . Football is played in accordance with a set of rules known as the Laws of the Game . The ball is 68-70 cm ( 27-28 in ) in circumference and known as the football . The two teams each compete to get the ball into the other team 's goal ( between the posts and under the bar ) , thereby scoring a goal . The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner ; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw . Each team is led by a captain who has only one official responsibility as mandated by the Laws of the Game : to represent their team in the coin toss prior to kick-off or penalty kicks . Players are not allowed to touch the ball with hands or arms while it is in play , except for the goalkeepers within the penalty area . Other players mainly use their feet to strike or pass the ball , but may also use any other part of their body except the hands and the arms . The team that scores most goals by the end of the match wins .
Major League Soccer ( MLS ) is a men 's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation which represents the sport 's highest level in the United States and Canada . The league comprises 26 teams - 23 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada and constitutes one of the major professional sports leagues in both countries . The league plans to expand to 30 teams with the additions of Austin FC and Charlotte in 2021 , then Sacramento Republic FC and a St. Louis franchise in 2022 . The regular season starts in late February or early March and goes through mid-October , with each team playing 34 games ; the team with the best record is awarded the Supporters ' Shield . Fourteen teams compete in the postseason MLS Cup Playoffs through October and November , culminating in the championship game , the MLS Cup . MLS teams also play in domestic competitions against teams from other divisions in the U.S. Open Cup and in the Canadian Championship . MLS teams also compete against continental rivals in the CONCACAF Champions League . With an average attendance of over 20,000 per game , MLS has the third highest average attendance of any sports league in the U.S. after the National Football League ( NFL ) and Major League Baseball ( MLB ) , and is the seventh highest attended professional soccer league worldwide . Major League Soccer was founded in 1993 as part of the United States ' successful bid to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup . The first season took place in 1996 with ten teams . MLS experienced financial and operational struggles in its first few years : the league lost millions of dollars , teams played in mostly empty American football stadiums , and two teams folded in 2002 . Since then , MLS has expanded to 26 teams , soccer-specific stadiums have proliferated around the league , average attendance exceeds that of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) and National Basketball Association ( NBA ) , the Designated Player Rule allows teams to sign star players such as David Beckham , MLS secured national TV contracts , and the league is now profitable .
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver , Colorado . They compete in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) as a member club of the National League ( NL ) West division . The team 's home venue is Coors Field , located in the Lower Downtown area of Denver . The team is owned by the Monfort brothers and managed by Bud Black . The Rockies began play as an expansion team for the 1993 season , and played their home games for their first two seasons at Mile High Stadium . Since 1995 , they have played at Coors Field , which has earned a reputation as a hitter 's park . The Rockies have qualified for the postseason five times , each time as a Wild Card winner . In 2007 , the team earned its first ( and only ) NL pennant after winning 14 of their final 15 games in the regular season to secure a Wild Card position . In the 2007 World Series , they were swept by the American League ( AL ) champions Boston Red Sox in four games .
Baseball is a bat-and-ball game played between two opposing teams who take turns batting and fielding . The game proceeds when a player on the fielding team , called the pitcher , throws a ball which a player on the batting team tries to hit with a bat . The objective of the offensive team ( batting team ) is to hit the ball into the field of play , allowing its players to run the bases , having them advance counter-clockwise around four bases to score what are called runs . The objective of the defensive team ( fielding team ) is to prevent batters from becoming runners , and to prevent runners ' advance around the bases . A run is scored when a runner legally advances around the bases in order and touches home plate ( the place where the player started as a batter ) . The team that scores the most runs by the end of the game is the winner . The first objective of the batting team is to have a player reach first base safely . A player on the batting team who reaches first base without being called out can attempt to advance to subsequent bases as a runner , either immediately or during teammates ' turns batting . The fielding team tries to prevent runs by getting batters or runners out , which forces them out of the field of play . Both the pitcher and fielders have methods of getting the batting team 's players out . The opposing teams switch back and forth between batting and fielding ; the batting team 's turn to bat is over once the fielding team records three outs . One turn batting for each team constitutes an inning .
Major League Baseball ( MLB ) is a professional baseball organization . It is the oldest of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada . A total of 30 teams play in Major League Baseball : 15 teams in the National League ( NL ) and 15 in the American League ( AL ) . The NL and AL were formed as separate legal entities in 1876 and 1901 , respectively . Beginning in 1903 , the two leagues cooperated but remained legally separate entities . In 2000 the leagues merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball . MLB also oversees Minor League Baseball , which comprises 256 teams affiliated with the major league clubs . MLB and the World Baseball Softball Confederation jointly manage the international World Baseball Classic tournament . Baseball 's first openly all-professional team was the Cincinnati Red Stockings founded in 1869 . Before that , some teams had secretly paid some players . The first few decades of professional baseball were characterized by rivalries between leagues and by players who often jumped from one team or league to another . The period before 1920 is known as the dead-ball era , during which players would rarely hit home runs .
Colorado Springs Switchbacks Football Club is a professional soccer team based in Colorado Springs , Colorado . Founded in 2014 , the team is a member of the USL Championship , the second tier of the American soccer pyramid . The franchise is owned and operated by Martin Ragain and Ragain Sports , LLC .
Colorado Springs is a home rule municipality that is the largest city by area in Colorado as well as the county seat and the most populous municipality of El Paso County , Colorado , United States . It is in east central Colorado , on Fountain Creek , 60 miles ( 97 km ) south of Denver . At 6,035 feet ( 1,839 m ) the city stands over 1 mile ( 1.6 km ) above sea level , though some areas are significantly higher and lower . Colorado Springs is near the base of Pikes Peak , which rises 14,115 feet ( 4,302 m ) above sea level on the eastern edge of the Southern Rocky Mountains . The United States Air Force Academy opened just north of Colorado Springs in 1958 . The city is home to 24 national sports governing bodies , including the United States Olympic Committee , the United States Olympic Training Center , and USA Hockey . The city had an estimated population of 472,688 in 2018 , and a metro population of approximately 738,939 , making it Colorado 's second most populous city , behind Denver , and the 39th most populous city in the United States . The Colorado Springs , CO Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated population of 712,327 in 2016 . The city is in the Front Range Urban Corridor , an oblong region of urban population along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and Wyoming , generally following Interstate 25 . The city covers 194.9 square miles ( 505 km2 ) , making it the most extensive municipality in Colorado . In 2017 and 2018 , Colorado Springs received several accolades . In 2018 U.S. News named it the most desirable place to live in the United States .
The USL Championship ( USLC ) , is a professional men 's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011 . The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation ( U.S. Soccer ) as a Division II Professional League since 2017 , placing it under Major League Soccer ( Division I ) in the hierarchy . The USL is headquartered in Tampa , Florida . The league is owned and operated by United Soccer League ( originally United Soccer Leagues ) and was formed as result of the merger of their USL First ( USL-1 ) and Second Divisions ( USL-2 ) , following the controversial 2010 season which saw neither the USL-1 nor the North American Soccer League ( NASL ) receive Division II sanctioning from the USSF , resulting in the temporary USSF Division 2 Pro League . United Soccer Leagues stated that the merger would strengthen the league 's position within the American professional soccer landscape through stability , commercial growth and the professional development of soccer in four main regions throughout the United States and Canada . Formerly known as United Soccer League ( USL ) and USL Pro , in January 2013 , United Soccer Leagues and MLS reached an agreement to integrate the USL league competition with the MLS Reserve League , primarily to improve player development in North America , strengthen league competition and build ties between leagues in the American soccer pyramid . This multi-year deal encourages MLS and USL team affiliations and player loans , aiming to have more games for teams and developing players . As of the 2020 season , 14 USL Championship teams are affiliated to MLS teams . Most teams have an affiliate in either the USL Championship or third-level USL League One ( USL1 ) , but Columbus Crew SC , FC Cincinnati , Los Angeles FC , Montreal Impact , Nashville SC , and Vancouver Whitecaps FC have no affiliated team in these leagues .
The Denver Barbarians Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team based in Denver , Colorado . The Denver Barbarians have won 3 national championships dating back to their first DI title in 1990 . The club 's second title came in 1999 , during the height of the Rugby Super League ( United States ) , defeating Belmont Shore RFC 22-18 . The Barbarians recently won the 2018 DII National Championship , defeating the Detroit Tradesmen in an all-time thriller at Infinity Park , 39-38 . The Denver Barbarians are currently being represented on the USA 7s Eagles by Ben Pinkelman and Ke'Von Williams who have anchored the USA 7s team during the 2017-18 World Rugby Sevens Series . Ben Pinkelman had an outstanding 2018-2019 year with the USA Eagles and was selected for the HSBC 7 's Dream Team . Pinkelman was also selected into the USA Eagles ' 2019 Rugby World Cup squad . Pinkelman played in 3 of the 4 pool matches , coming off the bench as an openside flanker . [ citation needed ]
Rugby union , widely known simply as rugby , is a contact team sport that originated in England in the first half of the 19th century . One of the two codes of rugby football , it is based on running with the ball in hand . In its most common form , a game is played between two teams of 15 players using an oval-shaped ball on a rectangular field with H-shaped goalposts at either end . Rugby union is a popular sport around the world , played by male and female players of all ages . In 2014 , there were more than 6 million people playing worldwide , of whom 2.36 million were registered players . World Rugby , previously called the International Rugby Football Board ( IRFB ) and the International Rugby Board ( IRB ) , has been the governing body for rugby union since 1886 , and currently has 101 countries as full members and 18 associate members . In 1845 , the first football laws were written by pupils at Rugby School ; other significant events in the early development of rugby include the decision by Blackheath F.C . to leave the Football Association in 1863 and , in 1895 , the acrimonious split between the then amateur rugby union and the professional rugby league . Historically rugby union was an amateur sport , but in 1995 formal restrictions on payments to players were removed , making the game openly professional at the highest level for the first time . Rugby union spread from the Home Nations of Great Britain and Ireland and was embraced by many of the countries associated with the British Empire . Early exponents of the sport included Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and France . Countries that have adopted rugby union as their de facto national sport include Fiji , Georgia , Madagascar , New Zealand , Samoa , and Tonga .
Rugby union in the United States is a growing national sport . Rugby union at the youth , high school , college , amateur club , professional , and international levels is governed by USA Rugby . There are over 125,000 players registered with USA Rugby as of 2016 . Over 2,500 rugby clubs exist around the country , including those of whom are part of college rugby . Professional club competition exists as Major League Rugby . There are several other high-profile rugby competitions in the U.S. As international competition , the USA Sevens is held every February at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas , and draws over 60,000 fans and is broadcast on NBC . The U.S. national team hosts international matches every June , with attendances around 20,000 . Collegiately , the Collegiate Rugby Championship is held every June at Talen Energy Stadium in the Philadelphia suburb of Chester , Pennsylvania , and draws around 20,000 fans and is broadcast on NBC .
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver , Colorado . The Broncos compete as a member club of the National Football League ( NFL ) 's American Football Conference ( AFC ) West division . The team began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League ( AFL ) and joined the NFL as part of the merger in 1970 . The Broncos are owned by the Pat Bowlen trust and currently play home games at Empower Field at Mile High ( formerly known as Invesco Field at Mile High from 2001-2010 , Sports Authority Field at Mile High from 2011-2017 , and Broncos Stadium at Mile High from 2018-2019 ) . Prior to that , they played at Mile High Stadium from 1960 to 2000 . The Broncos were barely competitive during their 10-year run in the AFL and their first seven years in the NFL . They did not have a winning season until 1973 . In 1977 , four years later , they qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and advanced to Super Bowl XII . Since 1975 , the Broncos have become one of the NFL 's most successful teams , having suffered only seven losing seasons . They have won eight AFC Championships ( 1977 , 1986 , 1987 , 1989 , 1997 , 1998 , 2013 , 2015 ) , and three Super Bowl championships ( 1997 ( XXXII ) , 1998 ( XXXIII ) , 2015 ( 50 ) ) , and share the NFL record for most Super Bowl losses ( 5 - tied with the New England Patriots ) . Thirteen players who have played for Denver are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame : John Elway , Floyd Little , Shannon Sharpe , Gary Zimmerman , Willie Brown , Tony Dorsett , Jerry Rice , Andre Reed , Terrell Davis , Brian Dawkins , Ty Law , Champ Bailey and Steve Atwater , along with late club owner Pat Bowlen .
American football , referred to as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron , [ nb 1 ] is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end . The offense , the team with possession of the oval-shaped football , attempts to advance down the field by running with the ball or passing it , while the defense , the team without possession of the ball , aims to stop the offense 's advance and to take control of the ball for themselves . The offense must advance at least ten yards in four downs or plays ; if they fail , they turn over the football to the defense , but if they succeed , they are given a new set of four downs to continue the drive . Points are scored primarily by advancing the ball into the opposing team 's end zone for a touchdown or kicking the ball through the opponent 's goalposts for a field goal . The team with the most points at the end of a game wins . American football evolved in the United States , originating from the sports of soccer and rugby . The first American football match was played on November 6 , 1869 , between two college teams , Rutgers and Princeton , using rules based on the rules of soccer at the time . A set of rule changes drawn up from 1880 onward by Walter Camp , the Father of American Football , established the snap , the line of scrimmage , eleven-player teams , and the concept of downs . Later rule changes legalized the forward pass , created the neutral zone and specified the size and shape of the football . The sport is closely related to Canadian football , which evolved in parallel with and at the same time as the American game ( although their rules were developed independently from that of Camp 's ) . Most of the features that distinguish American football from rugby and soccer are also present in Canadian football . The two sports are considered the primary variants of gridiron football .
The National Football League ( NFL ) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams , divided equally between the National Football Conference ( NFC ) and the American Football Conference ( AFC ) . The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America and the highest professional level of American football in the world . The NFL 's 17-week regular season runs from early September to late December , with each team playing 16 games and having one bye week . Following the conclusion of the regular season , six teams from each conference ( four division winners and two wild card teams ) advance to the playoffs , a single-elimination tournament culminating in the Super Bowl , which is usually held on the first Sunday in February and is played between the champions of the NFC and AFC . The NFL was formed in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association ( APFA ) before renaming itself the National Football League for the 1922 season . After initially determining champions through end-of-season standings , a playoff system was implemented in 1933 that culminated with the NFL Championship Game until 1966 . Following an agreement to merge the NFL with the American Football League ( AFL ) , the Super Bowl was first held in 1967 to determine a champion between the best teams from the two leagues and has remained as the final game of each NFL season since the merger was completed in 1970 . Today , the NFL has the highest average attendance ( 67,591 ) of any professional sports league in the world and is the most popular sports league in the United States . The Super Bowl is also among the biggest club sporting events in the world , with the individual games accounting for many of the most watched television programs in American history and all occupying the Nielsen 's Top 5 tally of the all-time most watched U.S. television broadcasts by 2015 . The Green Bay Packers hold the most combined NFL championships with 13 , winning nine titles before the Super Bowl era and four Super Bowls afterwards . Since the creation of the Super Bowl , the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots both have the most championship titles at six .
The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver . The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association ( NBA ) as a member of the league 's Western Conference Northwest Division . The team was founded as the Denver Larks in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association ( ABA ) , but changed its name to Rockets before the first season . It changed its name again to the Nuggets in 1974 . After the name change , the Nuggets played for the final ABA Championship title in 1976 , losing to the New York Nets . The team has had some periods of success , qualifying for the ABA Playoffs for all seasons from 1967 to the 1976 ABA playoffs where it lost in the finals . The team joined the NBA in 1976 after the ABA-NBA merger and qualified for the NBA playoffs in nine consecutive seasons in the 1980s and ten consecutive seasons from 2004 to 2013 . However , it has not made an appearance in a championship round since its last year in the ABA ; as such , they are also the only of the four surviving former ABA teams to have never reached the NBA Finals . The Nuggets play their home games at Pepsi Center , which they share with the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) and the Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League ( NLL ) .
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams , most commonly of five players each , opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball ( approximately 9.4 inches ( 24 cm ) in diameter ) through the defender 's hoop ( a basket 18 inches ( 46 cm ) in diameter mounted 10 feet ( 3.048 m ) high to a backboard at each end of the court ) while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop . A field goal is worth two points , unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three . After a foul , timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one or more one-point free throws . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins , but if regulation play expires with the score tied , an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated . Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running ( dribbling ) or by passing it to a teammate , both of which require considerable skill . On offense , players may use a variety of shots - the lay-up , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense , they may steal the ball from a dribbler , intercept passes , or block shots ; either offense or defense may collect a rebound , that is , a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard . It is a violation to lift or drag one 's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it , or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side at a time fall into five playing positions the tallest player is usually the center , the tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard , who implements the coach 's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays ( player positioning ) . Informally , players may play three-on-three , two-on-two , and one-on-one . Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield , Massachusetts , United States , basketball has evolved to become one of the world 's most popular and widely viewed sports . The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity , salaries , talent , and level of competition . Outside North America , the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as the EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas .
The National Basketball Association ( NBA ) is a men 's professional basketball league in North America , composed of 30 teams ( 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada ) . It is one of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada , and is widely considered to be the premier men 's professional basketball league in the world . [ better source needed ] The league was founded in New York City on June 6 , 1946 , as the Basketball Association of America ( BAA ) . It changed its name to the National Basketball Association on August 3 , 1949 , after merging with the competing National Basketball League ( NBL ) . The NBA 's regular season runs from October to April , with each team playing 82 games . Its playoffs extend into June . NBA players are the world 's best paid athletes by average annual salary per player . The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball ( USAB ) , which is recognized by FIBA ( also known as the International Basketball Federation ) as the national governing body for basketball in the United States . The league 's several international as well as individual team offices are directed out of its head offices in Midtown Manhattan , while its NBA Entertainment and NBA TV studios are directed out of offices located in Secaucus , New Jersey .
The Denver Outlaws are a Major League Lacrosse professional men 's field lacrosse team based in Denver , Colorado , United States . They began playing in the MLL in 2006 as an expansion team . Since joining the league , the Outlaws have played in the championship game a league-record nine times . They have only missed the playoffs once in franchise history and have never had a losing season . The Outlaws regularly post the highest attendance in the league . The Outlaws won their first MLL Championship on August 23 , 2014 , defeating the Rochester Rattlers 12-11 and won their second MLL Championship in 2016 , defeating the Ohio Machine 19-18 . On August 18 , 2018 , the Outlaws won their third championship by defeating the Dallas Rattlers , 16-12 .
Major League Lacrosse ( MLL ) is a men 's field lacrosse league consisting of six active teams in the United States . The league 's inaugural season was in 2001 . Teams play 16 regular-season games from late May to late September , with a four-team playoff for the championship trophy , the Steinfeld Trophy . MLL averaged 3,619 spectators per game during the 2018 season , down from a peak of 6,417 in 2011 . As a semi-professional league , MLL players earn annual salaries in the $ 10,000- $ 25,000 range . Players and staff generally hold other jobs and the league does not provide health insurance coverage . The current champion is the Chesapeake Bayhawks , who defeated the Denver Outlaws 10-9 in the 2019 Championship Game at Dick 's Sporting Goods Park in Denver , Colorado .
Colorado Raptors Rugby ( previously Glendale Raptors R.F.C . until November 2019 ) is a professional rugby union team based in Glendale , Colorado , an enclave of Denver . The team competes in Major League Rugby .
The city of Glendale is a Home Rule Municipality located in an exclave of Arapahoe County , Colorado , United States . The population was 4,184 at the 2010 census . The city is an enclave of ( i.e. , surrounded by ) the City and County of Denver . Glendale 's fire and medical services have been provided by the Denver Fire Department and Denver Paramedics through a contract by the City and County of Denver since 2005 . Glendale is policed by the Glendale Police Department .
Major League Rugby ( MLR or USMLR ) is a professional rugby union competition and the top-level championship for clubs in North America . In the 2020 season it will be contested by twelve teams : eleven from the United States and one from Canada . Officially sanctioned by USA Rugby , which is a member union of Rugby Americas North ( RAN ) , and consequently part of World Rugby , the league was founded in 2017 , and is headquartered in Salt Lake City , Utah . With its initial beginnings as part of established amateur rugby clubs in major North American urban areas , MLR began its first season in 2018 as an initiative of the American rugby community in partnership with private investors . Three further American clubs , Atlanta , Boston and Washington D.C. , will begin play in 2020 .
The Grand Junction Rockies are a Minor League Baseball team in the Pioneer League based in Grand Junction , Colorado , United States , where they play at Suplizio Field . They are the Rookie affiliate of the Colorado Rockies . The Grand Junction Rockies mascot is Corky Coyote .
Grand Junction is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Mesa County , Colorado , United States . The city has a council-manager form of government , and is the most populous municipality in all of western Colorado . Grand Junction is 247 miles ( 398 km ) west-southwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver . As of the 2010 census , the city 's population was 58,566 . Grand Junction is the 15th most populous city in the state of Colorado and the most populous city on the Colorado Western Slope . It is a major commercial and transportation hub within the large area between the Green River and the Continental Divide . It is the principal city of the Grand Junction Metropolitan Statistical Area , which had a population of 146,723 in 2010 census . The city is along the Colorado River , at its confluence with the Gunnison River , which comes in from the south . Grand refers to the historical Grand River ; it was renamed the Upper Colorado River in 1921 . Junction refers to the confluence of the Colorado and Gunnison rivers . Grand Junction has been nicknamed River City . It is near the midpoint of a 30-mile ( 48 km ) arcing valley , known as the Grand Valley ; since the late 19th century it has been a major fruit-growing region .
The Pioneer League is a Minor League Baseball league which currently operates in the Rocky Mountain region of the United States . In the past , it also operated in adjoining portions of Canada . It is classified as a Rookie League and is staffed with mostly first and second-year players . The Pioneer League is a short-season league operating from June to early September . Along with the Appalachian League , it forms the second-lowest rung on the minor league ladder , the Rookie Advanced level . While classified as a Rookie league , the level of play is slightly higher than that of the two spring training complex-based Rookie leagues , the Gulf Coast League and Arizona League . Unlike those leagues , Rookie Advanced leagues charge admission and sell concessions .
Minor League Baseball ( MiLB ) is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball ( MLB ) and provide opportunities for player development and a way to prepare for the major leagues . All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses . Most are members of the umbrella organization formally known as National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues ( NAPBL ) , which operates under the Commissioner of Baseball within the scope of organized baseball . Several leagues , known as independent baseball leagues , do not have any official links to Major League Baseball . Except for the Mexican League , teams in the organized minor leagues are generally independently owned and operated but are directly affiliated with one major league team through a standardized Player Development Contract ( PDC ) . These leagues also go by the nicknames the farm system , farm club , or farm team ( s ) because of a joke passed around by major league players in the 1930s when St. Louis Cardinals general manager Branch Rickey formalized the system , and teams in small towns were growing players down on the farm like corn . Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball teams may enter into a PDC for a two- or four-year term . At the expiration of a PDC term , teams may renew their affiliation , or sign new PDCs with different clubs , though many relationships are renewed and endure for extended time periods . For example , the Omaha Storm Chasers ( formerly the Omaha Royals and Omaha Golden Spikes ) have been the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals since the Royals joined the American League in 1969 , but the Columbus Clippers changed affiliations , after being associated with the New York Yankees from 1979 , to the Washington Nationals in 2007 , and have been affiliated with the Cleveland Indians since 2009 . A few minor league teams are directly owned by their major league parent club , such as the Springfield Cardinals , owned by the St. Louis Cardinals , and all of the Atlanta Braves ' affiliates except the Florida Fire Frogs . Minor League teams that are owned directly by the major league club do not have PDCs with the parent club and are typically not part of the reaffiliation shuffles that occur after each even-numbered season . Today , there are 14 MLB-affiliated minor leagues with a total of 160 revenue-generating teams , located in large , medium , and small cities and suburbs across the United States and Canada , and there are three MLB-affiliated rookie leagues with a total of 80 teams , located in Arizona , Florida , and the Dominican Republic , though these teams do not generate revenue .
Minor League Baseball ( MiLB ) is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball ( MLB ) and provide opportunities for player development and a way to prepare for the major leagues . All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses . Most are members of the umbrella organization formally known as National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues ( NAPBL ) , which operates under the Commissioner of Baseball within the scope of organized baseball . Several leagues , known as independent baseball leagues , do not have any official links to Major League Baseball . Except for the Mexican League , teams in the organized minor leagues are generally independently owned and operated but are directly affiliated with one major league team through a standardized Player Development Contract ( PDC ) . These leagues also go by the nicknames the farm system , farm club , or farm team ( s ) because of a joke passed around by major league players in the 1930s when St. Louis Cardinals general manager Branch Rickey formalized the system , and teams in small towns were growing players down on the farm like corn . Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball teams may enter into a PDC for a two- or four-year term . At the expiration of a PDC term , teams may renew their affiliation , or sign new PDCs with different clubs , though many relationships are renewed and endure for extended time periods . For example , the Omaha Storm Chasers ( formerly the Omaha Royals and Omaha Golden Spikes ) have been the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals since the Royals joined the American League in 1969 , but the Columbus Clippers changed affiliations , after being associated with the New York Yankees from 1979 , to the Washington Nationals in 2007 , and have been affiliated with the Cleveland Indians since 2009 . A few minor league teams are directly owned by their major league parent club , such as the Springfield Cardinals , owned by the St. Louis Cardinals , and all of the Atlanta Braves ' affiliates except the Florida Fire Frogs . Minor League teams that are owned directly by the major league club do not have PDCs with the parent club and are typically not part of the reaffiliation shuffles that occur after each even-numbered season . Today , there are 14 MLB-affiliated minor leagues with a total of 160 revenue-generating teams , located in large , medium , and small cities and suburbs across the United States and Canada , and there are three MLB-affiliated rookie leagues with a total of 80 teams , located in Arizona , Florida , and the Dominican Republic , though these teams do not generate revenue .
Rocky Mountain Rollergirls ( RMRG ) is a women 's flat-track roller derby league based in Denver , Colorado . Founded in 2004 , Rocky Mountain is a founding member of the Women 's Flat Track Derby Association ( WFTDA ) , and has qualified for WFTDA Playoffs every year , including winning the WFTDA Championships in 2010 .
Denver ( /ˈdɛnvər/ ) , officially the City and County of Denver , is the capital and most populous municipality of the U.S. state of Colorado . Denver is located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains . With an estimated population of 716,492 in 2018 , Denver is the 19th-most populous U.S. city , and with a 19.38% increase since the 2010 United States Census , it has been one of the fastest-growing major cities in the United States . The metropolitan city is located in the middle of the extensive Southern Rocky Mountain Front with Cheyenne , Wyoming , to the north and Albuquerque , New Mexico , to the south , this rapidly growing region has a population of 5,467,633 , according to the 2010 United States Census . The Denver downtown district is immediately east of the confluence of Cherry Creek with the South Platte River , approximately 12 mi ( 19 km ) east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains . Denver is named after James W. Denver , a governor of the Kansas Territory . It is nicknamed the Mile High City because its official elevation is exactly one mile ( 5280 feet or 1609.3 meters ) above sea level . The 105th meridian west of Greenwich , the longitudinal reference for the Mountain Time Zone , passes directly through Denver Union Station . Denver is ranked as a Beta world city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . The 10-county Denver-Aurora-Lakewood , CO Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated 2018 population of 2,932,415 and is the 19th most populous U.S. metropolitan statistical area . The 12-city Denver-Aurora , CO Combined Statistical Area had an estimated 2018 population of 3,572,798 and is the 15th most populous U.S. metropolitan area . Denver is the most populous city of the 18-county Front Range Urban Corridor , an oblong urban region stretching across two states with an estimated 2018 population of 4,976,781 .
The Rocky Mountain Vibes are a Minor League Baseball team that began play as a member of the Pioneer League in Colorado Springs , Colorado , in 2019 as the rookie affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers . They play their home games at UCHealth Park which opened in 1988 and seats 8,500 people .