As you cheer on Peyton Manning and his Denver Broncos this season, don't forget about the men and women of section 306.
Tucked away inside Sports Authority Field, paying customers in these seats received more than they bargained for in Sunday's season-opening win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Complaints have been fielded about a rash of bird droppings, raining down from a community of pigeons nesting above the stadium. It's been going on for years, they say.
"I found out a pigeon had pooped on the back of my shirt," Allison Harden told Todd Walker of KUSA-TV in Denver. "These are $250 seats. (We're) sitting there trapped in this kind of a situation. Any moment a pigeon (will) poop on you."
Fans claim nothing has been done to soothe the issue and have resorted to wearing towels to games and covering their heads with popcorn bags, according to the report. Stadium authorities are aware of the issue.
"We strive to ensure that all fans have a positive experience during Broncos games, and their safety and comfort is our No. 1 priority," said Andy Gorchov, general manager of Stadium Management Company in a statement this week. "Unfortunately, outdoor stadiums do sometimes have issues with birds."
Authorities, to their credit, did attempt to frighten the pigeons away with a plastic owl, but no dice. "I'm sure they set that up there at one point to deter the pigeons," said Jeff Harden, Allison's husband. "It's obviously not working. It's a health issue. There's people with drinks. There's open food containers."
Welcome, friends, to the dark underbelly of the Peyton Manning comeback narrative.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
