Downtown NBA Finals Watch Party Experience
As the Denver Nuggets make history, CCD went to one of the many watch parties near campus.
For the first time in history, the Denver Nuggets have made it to the NBA Finals. Community College of Denver (CCD) sits on the Auraria Campus in Downtown Denver across from Ball Arena, the infamous stadium/venue known for basketball games and concerts.
As you may have heard, tickets for the game were quite pricey, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways to be immersed in the same kind of atmosphere a few blocks from campus! With around 2,000 people expected to be in attendance, CCD went to McGregor Square, at the corner of 20th Street and Wazee Street, for Game One (of the seven) to check out the Watch Party.
It was visible from a block away that this was the place to be outside of the arena. The line wrapping around the building is what gave it away. But we were excited to find out what the hype was all about – besides the Nuggets being in the playoffs. After standing in line for a medium length of time and an ID check, we were finally in! Admission was free, but the grassy area with the gigantic screen playing the Denver Nuggets versus the Miami Heat in the center of McGregor Square was $30.
Tom's Watch Bar, across from Coors Field, was packed with fans from all over the city, yet there were plenty of spots to post up and cheer along. It wasn’t easy to count how many TVs were in there, but they varied in size – from big to super big. The atmosphere was electric, even during the tense moments of the game. The space had a patio in which you could stand and watch the game on a mammoth of a screen which was nice. The crowd that McGregor Square attracted was a younger one, making it easy to befriend the person standing inches away from you! Also, shout out to Denver Police Department for being extremely calm, cool, and collected during what could have been a very chaotic time.
Overall, it was a neat experience to watch the Denver Nuggets with other Denverites just a hop, skip, and a jump away from campus. As the series is still going, be sure to check online for Watch Parties both downtown and all around the city!