As they cap a lost season on Sunday, the Denver Broncos will find themselves on a new field.
Via Mike Klis of 9News.com, the Broncos have spent $400,000 to install a new playing surface. For one game. And one game only. By next year, another new surface will be installed.
The decision was spurred by wear and tear on the surface installed before the season. The field had bare spots and generally failed to meet the standard that new ownership hopes to set.
It’s a powerful message regarding the willingness (and obvious ability) of the Walton-Penner group to spend as needed to make the team as good as it can be. The next major expenditure will relate to the hiring of a new coach.
Comments from CEO Greg Penner and G.M. George Paton at the press conference after the firing of coach Nathaniel Hackett also made it clear that the Broncos will spend the time and money needed to get to the root cause of a rash of injuries. Too many organizations chalk injuries up to bad luck, without fully exploring every nook and cranny of the operation.
The Broncos will devote all resources necessary to fixing the injury issue. Starting with spending $400,000 to ensure that the players will have the safest possible playing surface for one game.
It’s a powerful message by the new kids on the NFL’s block regarding the right way to run a team.
