Better together

“Alone, we can do so little. Together, we can do so much.”

– Helen Keller

A couple years ago, when making the move from Vox to DNVR, there were a few pieces of the puzzle that deeply intrigued me. First off, getting to stick close to guys as talented as Adam Mares and Brendan Vogt held a deep appeal, as I consider them both not only colleagues, but friends. Having the opportunity to expand the writing from Denver Nuggets-centric content to “Colorado sports” also was wildly enticing. Getting to join several writers I had admired from afar also held me in sway.

But it really was so much more than that.

From my first introduction, it was deeply apparent that every member of the DNVR staff, from founders to janitorial staff, was not only deeply invested in the success of the company, but also in its mission to present something new to Colorado sports fans. To connect with them on a level that many other outlets don’t always seem to care to. To place the fan at the center of the universe, instead of the team, athlete, or writer. To make your passion more of a collective and community experience. To that end, I have been so impressed by how well the entire group has held to that mission, both in times of frustration and success.

(By the way, in the earliest of days, the founders also WERE the janitorial staff. I haven’t checked in recently, but that paradigm may still be true.)

How things have changed. Grown. Evolved. If you’ve joined in on the DNVR party in the last little bit, you’ve seen the evolution of nearly every sports beat in Colorado. You’ve seen some of the sweetest Colorado sports swag and gear ever to come down the pipe. You’ve seen the addition of a stellar home base, our place, the DNVR bar, that hosts everything from Colorado’s greatest sports fans to the shows that form the backbone of DNVR’s incredible and insightful coverage. You’ve seen the addition of coaches, athletes, and front office personnel to the conversation, the team, and the bigger picture.

In short, you’ve seen an evolution.

While DNVR doesn’t replace any single offering out there, it does bring something very different. DNVR brings an array of capabilities and talent paired with a depth and breadth of insights to the local sports game that is unmatched by the other news and media outlets out there on the same beat. By making the fan the center of that picture, DNVR taps into the passion and pain that a local fan feels to his core. Whether you bleed orange-and-blue, purple-and-black, green-and-gold, all of those, or any other combo, DNVR offers a chance to be a part of this growing community, the discussion around these teams and sports, and as close an “insider” view as most of us will ever get. DNVR is a place, a community, a look, and a feeling about being tied into your most-passionate parts of Colorado sports, and it only continues to grow. We found something great in all of this because we are better together.

And if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then propagation must be the sincerest form of validation. In seeing how well this model is clicking with the Colorado sports community, one of our major partners over at Draft Kings expressed some admiration for what we’ve tapped into, and partnered with us to (hopefully) start sharing this sort of love all over the place.

So after a ton of blood, sweat, and tears by many, Arizona sports fans now have a chance to start diving into their favorites teams the same way as DNVR fans do. PHNX became a reality this week, giving the Grand Canyon State a new outlet to tap into their love of all things Arizona-sports related. If you are a fan of any Arizona teams or know someone who loves them, make sure the site is on your radar. With voices like Gerald Bourguet, Johnny Venerable, Craig Morgan, Brittany Bowyer, Mike Luke, and more, Arizona fans are about to get a brand new look and a brand new community built around their love and passion for their teams.

Bottom line, we love what we’ve started at DNVR, and make no mistake, we are just getting started. With the way our amazing community has responded, we think you love it too. We see this next step as just getting to spread that same love and passion with fanbases everywhere. Because when you’ve got that much heart, love, and passion going for what you do, who wouldn’t want to share?

Even if you’re not a fan of Arizona sports, you may very well be a fan of an Arizona sports fan. Share the love with them, if nothing else. Welcome to the world, PHNX. We love you already. Hoping you’ll catch fire like the amazing community here at DNVR. We have come to find that when it comes to this sports community, we are far better together.