Fans get shut out for Cowboys' trip

Tight space forces practices to be closed to public

By Lee Rasizer, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 23, 2008 at 11:56 a.m.

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Broncos training camp, preseason schedule

Practice times and dates are subject to change without notice. Gates open to the public at 7:30 a.m. for morning practices and one hour before afternoon practices.

Date	Morning	Afternoon
Aug. 5	8:30	3:40*
Aug. 6	8:30	3:50
Aug. 7	8:30	3:40*
Aug. 8	8:30	None
Aug. 9	at Houston	6 p.m.
Aug. 10	None	None
Aug. 11	None	2:45
Aug. 12	8:30	3:40*
Aug. 16	Dallas	7 p.m.
Aug. 22	Green Bay	7 p.m.
Aug. 29	at Arizona	8 p.m.

The Broncos will practice with the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 13 and Aug. 14 at their Dove Valley facility, but those sessions will be open to the media only.

* Special teams only; ** Media only

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Fans attending training camp might have stars in their eyes - but it won't be the famous Dallas Cowboys emblem.

The NFC powerhouse will be at Dove Valley for two days of joint practices Aug 13-14, leading to the preseason game Aug. 16 with the Broncos at Invesco Field at Mile High.

But logistical issues with two full-squad NFL teams and their staffs, combined with the size of Broncos practice facilities, will prevent opening those workouts to the public.

The Broncos will hold two-a- day practices in front of fans from Friday to Aug. 12, with the exception of the morning of Aug. 1.

Those in attendance generally can't get any closer to the action.

The Broncos allow fans to sit on the hill adjacent to the west field and just off the sideline on the east field, a few feet from team and individual drills.

When workouts are concentrated on one field, fans often are ushered out between the playing surfaces for better views - and possibly some idle chatter with their favorite Broncos.

"Don't be afraid to talk to the players," cornerback Dominique Foxworth said. "We like to interact with the fans."

Overall, 21 full-squad workouts and seven special-teams practices are open to the public, with the schedule subject to change.

The Broncos have revised workout times for Friday, with starts at 11:15 a.m. and 4:05 p.m.; all other morning workouts will start at 8:30 a.m.; afternoon practices will start at 3:40 p.m. and 3:50 p.m., depending on whether it's a full-team or special-teams session.

Some ground rules:

* Parking at the Broncos facility is located on the west side of the practice fields and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The area opens one hour before the start of practice.

* Lawn chairs and umbrellas are not allowed.

* Soft-sided bags no larger than 1 foot in diameter are allowed.

* There are no food concessions at camp, but nonalcoholic beverages will be available for purchase.

* Cell phones must be turned off inside the training facility.

* A select number of Broncos players will be made available for autographs after the morning practice on days the team does not practice special teams in the afternoon.

* The team store, offering various team memorabilia and clothing for sale, will be relocated adjacent to the practice fields during two-a-days.