The Broncos are replacing the entire playing surface at Empower Field for the fifth straight year this season, according to Sports Business Journal. The report describes the decision as proactive, while noting that it had not reported complaints about the grass’s quality.
The repeated work follows earlier changes to the field. In November 2024, the grounds crew brought Kentucky bluegrass from Platteville and installed a new playing surface within hours, according to 98.5 KYGO.
How the lights fit into turf maintenance
The crew also uses LED grow lights to support grass growth when cold weather and limited sunlight make conditions more difficult. The equipment consists of temporary strips positioned a few feet above the field, not the stadium’s game-day lighting towers, Denverite reported.
Broncos turf and grounds director Chris Hathaway told the Denver Gazette that the lights’ output is 95% red and 5% blue. The team bought the equipment from Netherlands-based SGL Systems, the Gazette reported.
The crew brings out the lights after games and during snowy periods, when the grass gets less natural sunlight, according to 98.5 KYGO. Before a Broncos-Falcons matchup, the system ran for about 13 hours at a time over two- or three-day periods following heavy November snowfall, the Denver Gazette reported. Denverite reported that Hathaway said the lights had most recently been in use from November 20 to 25 that year.
