John Elway, Denver Broncos Bring Back Fans and Alumni
John Elway was hired primarily to bring winning back to the Denver Broncos, but he also wanted to reconnect with the fans and bring back the alumni. The Broncos have a proud history that includes a unique relationship with their fans and many great players who are now alumni. However for far too many years, the fans have been shut out and alumni made to feel unwelcome at Dove Valley. We can argue about the job that Elway has done in building the team on the field but there is no doubt that, under his leadership, the Broncos have reconnected with their fans and their alumni.
When Elway took the reigns as Vice-President of Football Operations in January of 2011, one of the first things he said was;
The Broncos have lost the connection with the fans, we have to get that back. Other than winning, that’s the most important thing we have to get done. We can never lose that connection again.
It was more than talk at an introductory press conference, Elway established a Twitter account and made sure he was as accessible as he could be. The Broncos even showed some pre-interview footage during the coaching search that eventually ended with the hiring of John Fox. Those are only a couple of examples of what Elway and the Broncos have done to reestablish that relationship with the fans. Has it worked, the Broncos are setting attendance records at training camp and the interest is as high as it been since the back-to-back Super Bowl Victories. There’s no doubt that, Peyton Manning is a huge part of that excitement but it was Elway who laid the foundation.
Going back to the Mike Shanahan days and through the disaster that was Josh McDaniels, somehow the alumni of the Broncos were no longer welcome. Elway set out to change that and it has been evident this summer. Former Denver Bronco great, Karl Mecklenburg was helping out at training camp this summer and said in the Denver Post;
They’re trying to bring back the tradition that was gone for a little while and get us involved again.
There have been numerous former Broncos that have visited training camp in 2012 including; Rod Smith and Terrell Davis. On Wednesday, Robert “Red” Miller was at Broncos practice for the first time in a long time. Miller led the team to their first Super Bowl after the 1977 season and in large part, was the guy who led the Broncos from laughingstocks to one of the best franchises in the NFL.
John Elway’s ultimate legacy as a football executive will be measured by the play on the field but he has all ready accomplished two of his goals. The Broncos and their fans are one, again and the alumni is a part of the family again. As Elway said,
Buy Denver Broncos Tickets | Buy Denver Broncos ApparelWe can never lose that connection again.
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