1 big thing: The Coach Prime economic effect

Photo illustration of an arrow rising out of Deion Sanders' sunglasses.

2. 🚀 Asteroid sample lands safely on Earth

One of OSIRIS-REx's arms touching the surface of asteroid Bennu. Photo: NASA/Goddard/University of Arizona/Lockheed Martin

3. 🍺 Colorado beer wins big at GABF

Wibby Brewing staff hold a University of Colorado flag as they accept their Great American Beer Festival trophy on Saturday in Denver. Photo: John Frank/Axios

4. Mile Highlights: Broncos get spanked 70-20

5. 🏆 You're reading Colorado's best newsletter

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👋 Hello, it's Monday. Thanks for starting your week with us!

Today's weather: Sunny with a high of 82°.

⚾ Situational awareness: The Colorado Rockies set a franchise record for the most losses in a season — 99 — after the team lost to the Chicago Cubs 4-3 yesterday.

Today's newsletter is 897 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🥳 John is congratulating all the Colorado Press Association award winners.

👜 Alayna is reading this 303 Magazine about the top handbag trends this fall.

🎧 Esteban is listening to this podcast exploring how the Billboard Hot 100 works.

Thanks to our editor Ross Terrell and copy editor Bill Kole.

Denver

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A daily look at the most significant and interesting stories affecting Denver.

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1 big thing: First trial in death of Elijah McClain begins

Southwest Airlines CEO says they're ready for winter after last December's meltdown

2. 🛫 Southwest Airlines says it's ready for winter

5 takeaways about Colorado's economy right now

3. The current state of Colorado's economy

4. Mile Highlights: More top headlines

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On the job hunt?

5. 🏟️ How Empower Field ranks among NFL stadiums

🍂 Howdy, it's Thursday and the 21st of September.

Today's weather: Mostly sunny with a high of 82°.

🦟 Situational awareness: New data shows Colorado is having the worst season for West Nile virus in the country, with case totals more than double any other state and 21 deaths reported so far.

Today's newsletter is 920 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🏆 John is heading to Comrade Brewing in Denver for the recent releases of Superdamp and More Dodge Less Ram — two of the best IPAs in the nation.

🌅 Alayna is bummed to have waved goodbye to our last 7pm-or-later sunset yesterday, but she's looking forward to its return March 10.

🎰 Esteban is reading this 5280 story on Colorado's gambling industry. 

1 big thing: Denver street art goes international

Denver Walls organizer Ally Grimes in front of a mural she's painting in RiNo with Sofia Ramirez of Loveland, right. Photo: John Frank/Axios

2. 🧑‍🎨 Tips on how to interpret street art

3. 🎨 1 photo to go

A work in progress on Larimer Street. Photo courtesy of Kate Blackman

It's Sunday, and we have some colorful Colorado fun for you.

🎧 Sounds like: "Luxury" by Jon Bellion.

📣 Situational awareness: We're looking for Power Players in the Denver metro's business community. Do you know one? Nominate them here.

Today's newsletter is 593 words — a 2.5-minute read.

👍 John is capping off his favorite week of the year at Goed Zuur, a great Denver craft beer bar.

🧳 Alayna is packing for her honeymoon, which kicks off Wednesday!

🖌️ Esteban is reupping his story about some of the best murals in Denver.

Denver community protests police shooting of Brandon Cole

1 big thing: Protesting police shooting of Brandon Cole

Photo illustration of a Denver Police cruiser with lines radiating from it.

2. 🤖 Robots replacing restaurant servers? Not so fast

Illustration of a robotic hand dipping a chicken nugget in sauce.

3. 📣 Calling all Power Players

4. Mile Highlights: 2 local restaurants make NYT list

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Stay booked and busy 

Chris Shively Layne, paralyzed in 2016, summits Colorado's Mount Elbert

5. 💪 1 moment of inspiration

Chris Shively Layne and volunteers atop Mt. Elbert in Colorado.

☕ Good morning, and welcome to Wednesday.

Today's weather: Beautiful! Sunny and breezy, with highs near 81°.

🏆 Situational awareness: It's Axios Denver Power Players time. Details below.

Today's newsletter is 827 words — a 3-minute read.

📌 John is checking our Denver Beer Week events list and planning a post-work adventure.

🧀 Alayna is deciding where to celebrate National Queso Day today. Hit reply with your top spots!

👟 Esteban is watching this sneaker-shopping episode with Peso Pluma.

Denver's food hall craze may be waning

1 big thing: Denver's food hall craze may be waning

2. 🚨 Denver's crime falling despite recent violence

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Colorado's fastest-growing companies in 2023, according to Inc. 5000 list

3. 💪 Our powerhouse companies

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4. Mile Highlights: Fund buys access to 14er

5. 🪨 An asteroid (sample) is coming to Earth

An illustration of OSIRIS-REx making contact with the asteroid Bennu. Image courtesy of NASA

6. 🍺 1 photo to go

John and our Axios Denver member Lance Henry at GABF on Thursday. Photo courtesy of Kate Blackman

It's Friday, and Denver Beer Week. Hope you get to enjoy it.

🤩 Today's weather: Sunny and highs near 84°.

Fall arrives tomorrow, but only a bit cooler this weekend and still beautiful.

🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Denver member Karen Taylor!

Today's newsletter is 926 words — a 3.5-minute read.

🎵 John is pumped for the KBCO show with Shakey Graves at Breckenridge Brewery tomorrow.

⛰️ Alayna is making sure you know national parks are free to visit tomorrow! (Pro tip: Black Canyon of the Gunnison was named Colorado's most underrated.)

📺 Esteban is watching "The Mind of Aaron Hernandez" on Netflix. 

Data: Walk Score; Table: Tory Lysik and Alice Feng/Axios

It's pretty easy to walk to a Denver Broncos game, even if the 0-2 team is hard to watch at the moment.

Driving the news: Empower Field at Mile High ranked 7th out of the NFL's 30 stadiums, according to data from Walk Score, a Redfin company that promotes walkable neighborhoods.

Empower Field also came in 9th in The Athletic's rankings for best stadiums in the league based on a survey of their writers.

Why it matters: The facility — which got $100 million worth of upgrades this season — is getting good marks even as the Broncos' new owners explore building a new stadium for the team, potentially outside the city.

How it works: Walk Score measures hundreds of walking routes to nearby amenities and points are awarded based on the distance to them in each category.

It also analyzes population density and road metrics such as block length and intersection density.

A good Walk Score, such as any number above 69, reflects how easy it is to walk to the location and also how easily it is to use public transportation.

Zoom in: Empower Field scored well for biking (72) while transit fared slightly worse (60).

RTD in August said it would end the BroncosRide special bus service, citing federal guidelines over competing with private service providers.

What they're saying: Good walk scores can "alleviate the burden of parking during big events such as games or concerts," says Isabelle Novak, Senior Communications Manager at Redfin.

Empower Field gets high marks for walkability among NFL stadiums

The Broncos' home ranked 7th out of the NFL's 30 stadiums, according to data from WalkScore.

It&#x27;s pretty easy to walk to a Denver Broncos game, even if the 0-2 team is hard to watch at the moment.Driving the news: Empower Field at Mile High ranked 7th out of the NFL&#x27;s 30 stadiums, according to data from <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Walk Score" data-vars-click-url="https://www.walkscore.com/about.shtml" data-vars-content-id="37f3d43d-5b03-44fc-812b-4ca62b19ac49" data-vars-headline="Empower Field gets high marks for walkability among NFL stadiums" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.walkscore.com/about.shtml" target="_blank">Walk Score</a>, a Redfin company that promotes walkable neighborhoods.

Sports

Axios Denver, anchored by John Frank and Alayna Alvarez, is here to help readers get smarter, faster on the most consequential news and developments unfolding in their own backyard.

The task seemed simple: Guide someone at Chili's to the right table. But the robot got lost.

Driving the news: Peter Newlin, co-founder of the fast-food chicken restaurant Birdcall, recalled the moment during a panel discussion Tuesday at Denver Startup Week about AI's impact in the food and restaurant industry.

Chili's tested the robots for about two years before discontinuing the program last year because it didn't meet expectations.

Why it matters: Newlin's example demonstrated why panelists largely agreed AI won't replace restaurant and food staff, but instead complement their services.

Right now, robots' use in the industry is mostly seen as a gimmick.

What they're saying: "If it complements the dining experience, it's a win; if it's a distraction from the hospitality experience, it's a [failure]," Newlin, whose restaurant uses touch-screens to allow people to order food, tells us.

Details: Ben Deda, CEO at FoodMaven, said automation should augment existing services like a serving instead of replacing them.

"The question is, where can you find the work that people don't want to do or don't have time to do and can you use an AI, can you use a machine to take it off your hands?" Deda said.

Between the lines: Staffing shortages are a major issue in the restaurant industry, Diego Montemayor, co-founder and CEO of the staffing company Chamba, said on Tuesday.

However, no panelists suggested AI would be a factor in helping alleviate this shortage.

The intrigue: Newlin tells us he asked ChatGPT to consider new food items by plugging in ingredient options. He said some interesting dish ideas came from the experiment, but wouldn't say whether they'd appear on Birdcall's menu.

Of note: A robot chef made its debut this month at the University of Denver's Community Commons.

Founded by Israeli food tech company SavorEat, the robot chef produces plant-based, 3D-printed burgers in about three minutes. Customers use a kiosk to customize and place their order. The company plans to open another Denver location next year.

United Airlines also is using robots to collect dirty dishes at its new club in Denver airport's B concourse.

Why robots won't replace restaurant servers anytime soon

Panelists at Denver Startup Week largely agreed AI won't replace restaurant and food staff, but instead complement their services.

The task seemed simple: Guide someone at Chili&#x27;s to the right table. But the robot got lost.Driving the news: Peter Newlin, co-founder of the fast-food chicken restaurant <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Birdcall" data-vars-click-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wHgxH7ug6g" data-vars-content-id="4937225d-6daf-43be-8307-a0b9e9ccd82b" data-vars-headline="Why robots won&#x27;t replace restaurant servers anytime soon" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wHgxH7ug6g" target="_blank">Birdcall</a>, recalled the moment during a panel discussion Tuesday at <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Denver Startup Week" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/09/15/denver-startup-week-spotlight-ai" data-vars-content-id="4937225d-6daf-43be-8307-a0b9e9ccd82b" data-vars-headline="Why robots won&#x27;t replace restaurant servers anytime soon" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2023/09/15/denver-startup-week-spotlight-ai" target="_self">Denver Startup Week</a> about AI&#x27;s impact in the food and restaurant industry.

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Deion Sanders has led the Colorado Buffaloes to an early 3-0 record in his first year in Boulder, making them the buzz of college football. He's also sparked his own economic engine — directly and indirectly — around apparel, tickets, betting, TV ratings and more.

The big picture: Sanders — aka "Coach Prime," a derivative of Sanders' "Prime Time" nickname as an explosive NFL player — has never been shy about promoting his brand.

As a coach, he's using social media, endorsements and an Amazon Prime Video documentary to help turn his image, quotes — and even slights by others— into dollars.

State of play: Sanders signed a five-year, $29.5 million contract with Colorado, but he's cashing in on his likeness, persona and even catchphrases. 

His sunglasses line with Blenders Eyewear made $4.5 million in sales after Colorado State coach Jay Norvell criticized Sanders for wearing sunglasses in a press conference, according to Front Office Sports.

This week, Sanders filed paperwork for four trademarks — for the phrases "Coach Prime," "Prime Effect," "It's Personal," and "Daddy Buck," according to a report from trademark attorney Josh Gerben.

Some of those Coach Prime's catchphrases already have appeared on shirts.

Even before he began his college coaching career at Jackson State, Sanders was a popular endorser in TV commercials, based on his career as a Hall of Fame cornerback in the NFL.

Now his profile in commercials has soared: During college football games, Sanders hawks AFLAC insurance, KFC, athletic apparel, and more. 

Of note: The exposure Sanders has brought the university since the season started is worth more than $90 million, CU Boulder chief spokesperson Steve Hurlbert told the Daily Camera in Boulder.

The intrigue: The head coach isn't the only Sanders making money off the Buffs' recent success. 

His two sons, starting quarterback Shedeur, and Shilo, a cornerback, are among the top NIL (name, image and likeness) earners on the team. 

Shedeur has the highest NIL valuation among college football players at $5.2 million, while Shilo's is estimated at $719,000, according to On3, a news and data site covering college sports. 

Zoom in: Sales of Colorado Buffaloes gear in the team's online store have jumped 505% since December, Hurlbert tells Axios.

Sales so far this month are 764% above the full revenue in September 2022 — making September 2023 the biggest month ever on the team's website. 

The university has sold 22,457 season tickets, which were sold out for the first time in 27 years — only the ninth time in school history. 

What they're saying: "Coach Prime appears to be saying, 'You're not going to appropriate me, and you're not going to be the only one to make money at the expense of my style,' " Ibram X. Kendi, author of "How to Be an Antiracist," tells Axios.

Kendi said others have tried to monetize their branding, but Sanders is on another level. "If it were up to me, coaches would be focused on coaching, as opposed to monetizing their influence." 

"He's a great person and he's done a great job of marketing the program to create a lot of national interest," Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who's won seven national championships and appears with Sanders in the AFLAC commercials, told ESPN. 

Yes, but: Carl Suddler, an associate professor of history at Emory University, tells Axios that Sanders is an "economic machine" not just for himself, but also for Boulder's economy and CU's athletics,.

Between the lines: It's unclear whether Deionomics is replicable model for other college programs.

Sanders was a star, multi-sport athlete at Florida State before turning pro to play in the NFL and Major League Basesball. He eventually became the only athlete to play in both the World Series and the Super Bowl. He played on two Super Bowl champions, in San Francisco and Dallas.

"In many ways as a player, he was certainly one of one, and it may very well be that Colorado has struck gold in their ability to acquire a head coach, who in this day and age, may very well be one of one, again," Suddler said.

What's next: The Buffaloes will face what's likely their most formidable opponent so far this season, traveling to Oregon on Saturday to play the No. 10th-ranked Ducks. 

It gets even tougher next week, when they play 5th-ranked USC.

Correction: This article previously stated that Sanders was featured in a Netflix documentary. The documentary is on Amazon Prime Video.

appears with Sanders in an Aflac commercial

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Deionomics: Coach Prime is big business in Colorado

In igniting Colorado's football program, Sanders has become an economic force.

Photo illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios. Photo:  Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images 

College football

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<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Deion Sanders" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/18/deion-sanders-colorado-buffaloes-football" data-vars-content-id="4c602937-3577-440f-98ce-158fd550ecab" data-vars-headline="Deionomics: Coach Prime is big business in Colorado" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/09/18/deion-sanders-colorado-buffaloes-football" target="_self">Deion Sanders</a> has led the Colorado Buffaloes to an early 3-0 record in his first year in Boulder, making them the buzz of college football. He&#x27;s also sparked his own economic engine — directly and indirectly — around <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="apparel," data-vars-click-url="https://shop.cubuffs.com/colorado-buffaloes/coach-prime/t-12608119+c-9058645576+z-92-2711518198" data-vars-content-id="4c602937-3577-440f-98ce-158fd550ecab" data-vars-headline="Deionomics: Coach Prime is big business in Colorado" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://shop.cubuffs.com/colorado-buffaloes/coach-prime/t-12608119+c-9058645576+z-92-2711518198" target="_blank">apparel,</a> <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="tickets," data-vars-click-url="https://frontofficesports.com/deion-sanders-impact-makes-tickets-pricier-than-nfl-games/" data-vars-content-id="4c602937-3577-440f-98ce-158fd550ecab" data-vars-headline="Deionomics: Coach Prime is big business in Colorado" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://frontofficesports.com/deion-sanders-impact-makes-tickets-pricier-than-nfl-games/" target="_blank">tickets,</a> <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="betting" data-vars-click-url="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2023/09/colorado-buffaloes-colorado-state-public-betting-outpaces-nfl" data-vars-content-id="4c602937-3577-440f-98ce-158fd550ecab" data-vars-headline="Deionomics: Coach Prime is big business in Colorado" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2023/09/colorado-buffaloes-colorado-state-public-betting-outpaces-nfl" target="_blank">betting</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="TV ratings" data-vars-click-url="https://www.buffzone.com/2023/09/19/main-attraction-cu-buffs-draw-high-tv-ratings-announce-another-sellout/" data-vars-content-id="4c602937-3577-440f-98ce-158fd550ecab" data-vars-headline="Deionomics: Coach Prime is big business in Colorado" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.buffzone.com/2023/09/19/main-attraction-cu-buffs-draw-high-tv-ratings-announce-another-sellout/" target="_blank">TV ratings</a> and more.The big picture: Sanders — aka &quot;Coach Prime,&quot; a derivative of Sanders&#x27; &quot;Prime Time&quot; nickname as an explosive NFL player — has never been shy about promoting his brand.

Shifts in technology and media are changing the way we play, watch and understand sports. Business models are adapting and social change is forcing those in charge of teams and leagues to reconsider decades-old practices.

Mount Evans will be known as Mount Blue Sky after a federal panel on Friday approved the name change.

Details: The U.S. Board on Geographic Names voted 15-1 to change  the mountain's name name during its scheduled meeting, which was held both in-person and virtually. Three board members abstained

The peak is located in Clear Creek County. 

Why it matters: The decision largely settles the controversy over the 14ers original name, which came from Colorado territorial Gov. John Evans, who refused to criticize the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864.

Between the lines: Evans' response to the massacre involving U.S. troops ambushing and killing more than 230 Cheyenne and Arapaho people was largely indifferent, according to a 2014 study from Northwestern University.

Catch up quick: After the George Floyd protests in Denver called attention to removing names associated with racists history, Gov. Jared Polis established the Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board in July 2020. 

The board was responsible for providing name recommendations to the federal geographic names panel.

Changing Mount Evans was among the suggestions. But those plans stalled in March after Northern Cheyenne tribal administrator William F. Walks Along raised concerns about calling it Mount Blue Sky, per CPR.

That led to a meeting between tribal leaders this summer with a federal Interior Department member to discuss the new name, which ultimately landed on Blue Sky.

Of note: The two Native American reservations in Colorado, the Southern Ute Indian tribe and Ute Mountain Ute tribe, supported the name change, according to the federal panel. 

Colorado Geographic Naming Advisory Board

Mount Evans officially renamed to Mount Blue Sky

The change largely settled the controversy over the 14ers original name, which came from Colorado territorial Gov. John Evans.

Mount Evans and Summit Lake in Clear Creek, Colorado, on Sept. 12. Photo: Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post

Mount Evans will be known as Mount Blue Sky after a federal panel on Friday approved the name change.Details: The U.S. Board on Geographic Names voted 15-1 to change the mountain&#x27;s name name during its scheduled meeting, which was held both in-person and virtually. Three board members abstained<ul><li>The peak is located in Clear Creek County. </li></ul>

Eleven people in Denver have been shot in violent incidents since last Saturday.

Catch up quick: The latest incident happened overnight heading into Thursday in the City Park West neighborhood. Two people were shot, one fatally, near 16th Avenue and Downing Street, according to police. 

On Monday, an Uber driver was shot and killed and a security guard was injured in the same neighborhood in what police described as a random attack.

On Saturday, five people were shot in LoDo after a woman was reportedly denied entry into a bar — marking the 500th mass shooting in the U.S.

Two other people were injured in two separate shootings this past weekend.

Reality check: While Denver police chief Ron Thomas called the incidents concerning, he tells us overall violent crime rates in the city are trending downward.

By the numbers: Denver is on pace for 7,174 violent crimes in 2023, lower than the 7,305 actual reported crimes in 2022, according to data presented by Thomas to city council Thursday.

The information was provided for an overview of his department's budget. Thomas is seeking to add more officers to get the agency to full strength.

Zoom in: As of Sept. 18, the city has recorded 60 murders this year, trending below the three-year-average of 67, DPD officials say.

Of note: Thomas says property crime has also dipped, highlighted by what he called a "significant reduction" in car thefts.

Despite recent violent spree, Denver's crime rates are falling

While police chief Ron Thomas called the incidents concerning, he tells us overall violent crime rates in the city are trending downward.

Eleven people in Denver have been shot in violent incidents since last Saturday.Catch up quick: The latest incident happened overnight heading into Thursday in the City Park West neighborhood. Two people were shot, one fatally, near 16th Avenue and Downing Street, according to police.

Esteban L. Hernandez

Stories

Deionomics: Coach Prime is big business in Colorado

Despite recent violent spree, Denver's crime rates are falling

Empower Field gets high marks for walkability among NFL stadiums

Why robots won't replace restaurant servers anytime soon

Mount Evans officially renamed to Mount Blue Sky

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🕶️ Coach Primeconomics

🎨 Street art museum

🔭 Asteroid is coming

⚖️ McClain trial begins

🚨 Police under fire