The Denver Broncos won’t have fans at Empower Field at Mile High when they host the Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football in Week 1. It will sound like fans are at the stadium — both on TV and in person.
The NFL will allow teams that don’t have fans in attendance to pump in fake crowd noise this season.
“The crowd noise is fine,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said on Sept. 8. “I actually think it kind of helps simulate the feel that you get from being in the stadium. Obviously, there’s no replacing the 70-plus-thousand fans and the energy they bring to it.
“I think what will be different than the two practices we had down there, and it will be very obvious to everyone, especially the players and us as coaches — once there’s another team in that stadium that we’re going against it will change the dynamics.”
Denver will be allowed to host a limited amount of fans when the Broncos face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3.
“I think everybody will be looking forward to having the fans there,” safety Kareem Jackson said on Sept. 8. “Having fans is an added element of excitement. Not saying we won’t be excited Week 1 without having fans. Monday night is enough to get us going. It’ll be interesting to see.
“Obviously with the league noise — me and some of the guys were talking about it. It’s always a certain point throughout a play where everything goes silent and you’re locked in on your job. Whether it’s the league noise or fans, I don’t think it’ll matter. We still have to go out and execute as if the stadium was full.”
Monday’s game will be nationally televised on ESPN at 8:20 p.m. MT.
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