Spectator Sports

Tickets to many sporting events can be obtained from Ticketmaster (tel. 303/830-TIXS [8497]; www.ticketmaster.com), which has several outlets in the Denver area.

Auto Racing

For drag racing and other motorsports, head to Bandimere Speedway, 3051 S. Rooney Rd., Morrison (tel. 303/697-6001, or 303/697-4870 for a 24-hr. recording; www.bandimere.com), with races scheduled April through October. There are motorcycles, pickup trucks, street cars, and sports cars, plus car shows, swap meets, and other special events.

Baseball

The Colorado Rockies (tel. 800/388-7625 or 303/762-5437; www.coloradorockies.com) of Major League Baseball's National League West initially enjoyed record-breaking fan support, but attendance has fallen recently, a 2007 run to the World Series notwithstanding. The team plays at the attractive Coors Field, located at 20th and Blake streets in historic Lower Downtown. The 50,000-seat stadium, with a redbrick exterior and on-site microbrewery, was designed in the style of baseball stadiums of old. Tickets are easy to come by, from either the box office or the scalpers on the street. Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) is another good place to find tickets.

Basketball

The Denver Nuggets (tel. 303/405-1111 for ticket information; www.nuggets.com) of the National Basketball Association have gained fans thanks to young superstar Carmelo Anthony. The Nuggets play their home games at the handsome Pepsi Center (downtown at Speer Blvd. and Auraria Pkwy.). There are 41 home games a year between November and April, with playoffs continuing into June.

The University of Denver (tel. 303/871-2336 for ticket office or 303/830-2497; www.denverpioneers.com) plays a competitive college basketball schedule from late November to March.

Football

The Denver Broncos (tel. 720/258-3333 for tickets; www.denverbroncos.com) of the National Football League make their home at Invesco Field at Mile High. Home games are sold out months in advance, so call early; there are also a few tickets sold on game day. Your best bet may be to find someone hawking tickets outside the stadium entrance on game day. Pricing tickets above face value is technically illegal, but the law is rarely enforced. Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) is another good place to look for tickets.

You might have better luck getting into a college game. The University of Colorado Buffaloes (tel. 303/492-8337; www.cubuffs.com), of the Big 12 Conference, play in Boulder. Other top college football teams in the area are Colorado State University in Fort Collins and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

Hockey

Denver's National Hockey League team, the Colorado Avalanche (tel. 303/405-1111 for ticket information; www.coloradoavalanche.com), plays in front of sellout crowds at the Pepsi Center (Speer Blvd. and Auraria Pkwy.). The season runs from October to April.

For a cheaper ticket (and a fun atmosphere), the University of Denver men's hockey team (tel. 303/871-2336 for ticket office or 303/830-2497; www.denverpioneers.com) is consistently top tier and plays a competitive schedule between October and mid-March at the Ritchie Center.

Horse Racing

Arapahoe Park, 26000 E. Quincy Ave., Aurora (tel. 303/690-2400; www.milehiracing.com), offers horse racing May to August, with simulcast wagering the rest of the year. Admission varies.

Rodeo

The National Western Stock Show, Rodeo, and Horse Show (tel. 303/297-1166; www.nationalwestern.com) is held the second and third weeks of January. While a move to the plains near Denver International Airport is on the drawing board, the rodeo takes place at the Denver Coliseum, and other activities are at the National Western Complex and the Event Center. With more than $500,000 available in prize money and 700,000 people in attendance, this is one of the world's richest and largest rodeos.

Soccer

The Colorado Rapids (tel. 303/405-1100; www.coloradorapids.com), of Major League Soccer, play home games at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, a new, soccer-only stadium at Quebec Street and 60th Avenue in Commerce City.