Denver, Colorado is commonly referred to as the Mile High City, due to the fact parts of Denver sit a mile above sea level, or 5280 feet. Denver is home to four different professional sports franchises, as the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, the Denver Broncos of the NFL, the Colorado Rockies of the MLB, and the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL call Denver, Colorado home. During games in Denver, announcers will make mention of the fact that Denver is a tough place to play because of the high altitudes of the city. Now you may be asking, why is this the case? How does the Denver altitude affect sport performance?

The Mile High Seats at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado

Typically, most researchers are under the impression as altitude increase, sports performance decreases. Scientifically speaking, because Denver a mile above sea level, less oxygen is readily available for the athletes to take in. Because there is less oxygen pressure within the atmosphere, it is tougher for the the lungs to put oxygen into the blood stream. With the lack of oxygen available, breathing becomes harder and heart race increases. Since football is played in short, rapid burst about every 10-15 seconds, it can be a challenge for players to play an entire game in these conditions. The athlete’s from Denver have an advantage over their opponents, because they are used to playing in the conditions. When a road team plays in Colorado, they typically try to arrive as early as possible so they can acclimate themselves with the conditions they are about to play in.

The ability to perform at optimum level for an athlete is not the only things that is affected by high altitude levels. Hitting a baseball can seem easier in higher altitudes. Coors field, home of the Colorado Rockies, is commonly referred to as a hitters park, mostly because of the fact that it is located a mile above sea level. Because of the lower oxygen levels, the baseball is not affected by drag as much, as the ball travels through the air, it is colliding with less molecules within the air, making it travel further. Statistics can back up the hitting in higher altitudes brings more success to the hitter. According the MLB park factors, which is a statistic designed to determine whether a major league ball park is more “hitter friendly” or “pitcher friendly” , Coors field in Colorado has ranked in the top five of MLB Park factors every year since 2001, including finishing in the top spot eight times and every year since 2012. Could these results be by chance? Possibly, but these results include all teams, and not just the Colorado Rockies. A more realistic third variable can be the fact that over the past fifteen years, technology advances such as computers can help a hitter be more prepared at the plate, giving themselves a better chance of reaching base with a hit. Other sports that involve a projectile flying through the air, such as football and basketball, can use the same logic applied to hitting a baseball. Since the air is thinner, and the ball has to go through less particles within the the air, it might be easier to kick a field goal or shoot a basketball in higher altitudes.

In conclusion, altitude positively and negatively affects athletes ability to preform at an elite level. It can hinder an athlete’s performance because of the minimal oxygen particles available for use that can lead to shortness of breath. Or it can enhance an athlete’s performance, as a hitter in baseball is more likely to be more successful playing at high altitudes. The effect that altitude has on performance depends on the type of sport that is being played.