this is 9news. >> in 18 hours, levi stadium will be packed. the stands will be buzzing, players will be ready to take the field, and just a few hours after that, we will know if the broncos will bring home their third super bowl trophy. more -- more than 1300 miles away, there are tributes that are shining orange and blue, ahead of the kick of. >> but on the eve of the super bowl, some are focused on the past bronco greats. three former broncos were looking for punch their ticket into the hall of fame, terrell davis, and steve atwater and john lynch were looking at it. but none of them made it. now, all of the focus turns to tomorrow. >> and there is a lot of anticipation, and anxiety for fans.

to celebrate. game day is nearly upon us, cheryl. >> reporter: that is why there is an early christmas, the broncos are supposed to be in the room at 10:00, so 2 minutes after, they have a very big day tomorrow, but the fans, hey, they can be up all night if they want. the energy and the excitement was building all day long. both here in santa clara at the team hotel, and north in san francisco at super bowl city. >> two, three! >> reporter: the they look a little excited. the cheer leaders have fired up an enormous crowd. there are thousands and thousands of fans there at super

were saying they felt a little out numbered with the orange in the city. there's going to be a big crowd of fans gathered in this same spot tomorrow to watch the game on big screens, and you know what? there was just as much enthusiasm at levi stadium. >> awesome, the broncos made it! >> reporter: levi stadium came alive. , the fans wanted to take their picture with the gold 50, we met football fans from all over the country who came to california to be parking lot of this 50th 50th year celebration. amazing to see how many people just wanted to see the stadium, and be part of the experience, even though there weren't any specific rallies planned. one of the things that made you feel good to be around, everyone having such a fun day. something we found so interesting as we were meeting people outside the stadium.

traveling from colorado, to california, even though they don't have a ticket to the game. they say this is about family, about an experience, being part of it all, and they don't need an expensive seat in the stadium to make that happen. >> just to be part of that, just to be part of this. >> no tickets to the game. just came to support the denver broncos. >> my granddaughter awe first super bowl -- granddaughter awe first super bowl. go broncos! generations here. fans could be seeing, and preparing for some of the most super bowl tickets ever. the average retail ticket price is almost $5000. tickets are still available on sites like ticketmaster, stub

about 2600, the most expensive? $175,000. as for who is buying the resale tickets, more than 16 percent are californians, coloradoans out number fans from north carolina, about 9% to 5%. this is the 8th trip to the super bowl for the broncos, 7 under the leadership of current owner pat bowlen. 32 years he has been the owner, more than 300 wins in that time. he has alzheimer's right now, the trip. i talked to his daughter, beth, and she says it's hard to imagine this experience without him. >> i think a lot of people are -- he has been an outstanding owner in the league. and this is an experience that i

not being part of. we are enjoying his presence in one way or the other. and i also know it brings comfort to to feel his spirit here, he should be here, enjoying this. this is something that he has done. >> reporter: she says it's always been about the fans. as listening as she can remember, he bought the team when she was 13, and he said the team will belong to the fans and the city of denver. and she said if we have the honor of taking the trophy home, she believes there will be recognition in her father's eyes. this is something very deep in his heart, even still. >> he is a special guy, and for $1,975,000, could we --

>> reporter: i should probably take home peyton manning's car for that! >> we know you called that -- get some sleep! as the broncos prepare for the immediate future, it's hard to not look at the bumpy past. nelson garcia talked about the unlikely year for their favorite team. >> reporter: in football, and in life, how much can change in a year. >> a year, i was a kid out of college. >> finishing up a thesis project. >> i can never be in that mile high during the -- >> the colt/broncos game, thinking there was no way they

>> reporter: a year ago, they had no couch. kubiak vowed to remain in baltimore. >> i tell you what, it was hoping that peyton manning was going to come back for one more year. >> reporter: the broncos weren't sure about the quarterback. >> you never know when a player is injured in football if they can make it. >> reporter: wait phillips was out of a job with retirement hanging over his head. within a year, life -- >> i'm about to graduate. >> reporter: football evolved. >> a transformation. the you can't give up on hope. >> reporter: if you asked anyone a year ago if they thought the broncos would be in the super bowl now -- >> no doubt about it. >> reporter: some things never change.

>> you just never know. they could surprise you in the best way. >> season he's gone through a lot. >> it's kind of a fairytale. and if this does happen, this could be the greatest story in sports history, i think. >> reporter: nelson garcia, 9news. >> we asked every fan about the pre, they all picked -- predictions tomorrow, they all picked denver. >> some from the debate were not shy about what team they picked. >> carolina's going to win that. i hate to say it. >> governor bush? >> peyton manning's supporting me, so i'm for denver. lavoy finicum. >> i was going to be peyton manning, but now i'm rooting for carolina.

>> carolina. >> with 100% certainty i will predict the winner it, will be denver or carolina. >> governor christie? >> denver. >> so the final count, two for denver, four for carolina, and ben carson was undecided. the candidates did discuss more serious matters this evening, the attention turned back to iowa, and controversy between ted cruz and ben sash son. cruz apologized to carson after cruz's campaign sent voice mails to voters on caucus night, stating that carson was dropping out of the race because of an incorrect report on cnn. >> to think that i would just walk away ten minutes before the caucus and say, forget about you guys. i mean who would do something like that? i don't think anyone would do that on this stage, and to assume that someone would, what does that tell you? >> subsequent to that initial report, ben's campaign put out a

not suspending his campaign. i wish that our campaign staff had forwarded that statement. they were unaware of it. i wish they had, that's why i apologized. >> torture came up in the debate. cruz and rubio both said they were okay with water boarding. cruz called it enhanced interrogation, trump said he would bring it back, and even some things that would be worse, although he didn't elaborate. there were some feuds. christie and rubio fought over their experience. christie talked about rubio's canned speeches. >> the memorialsed 25 second speech that is exactly what -- >> marco, the thing is this, when you're president of the united states, governor of the

where you talk about how great america is, it doesn't solve a problem for one person at the end of it. >> your state got hit by a massive snow storm. you didn't want to go back. you they had to shame -- they had to shame you. a north korean rocket launch made head lines. range rocket. itthey say the rocket was carrying a satellite, and the u.n. think it was a cover to test ballistic missiles. u.s. defense firm said the rocket poles no threat to the u.s. or -- posed no threat. the candidates about weigh in. they said they believed the u.s. needs to pressure china to deal with the north, jeb bush said he would authorize preemptive

it would keep america safe. more than 130 people are missing after a strong earthquake struck southern collapsed. the news agency reports 18 people are dead, hundreds more have been rescued. or badly injured. the 6.4 magnitude quake truck in the early hours as people were still sleeping. next on 9 news at 10:00. >> meet a woman who helped the broncos get to the very first super bowl. >> the night before the big game, hear from the players about final preparations. >> are the broncos warmed up in time for the super bowl?

nearly two months ago, sergeant lopez junior was shot in denver and almost died.

blood donations saved his life. -- that spots open for the blood drive, but 175 requests. his father said his son cannot wait to get back to work. >> when i was at that age, i wanted to run hard, and catch bad guys. and it's going to take time to heal. >> he says his son is in good spirits, going to therapy several times a week. sergeant lopez, junior and his wife are expects a baby boy in may. broncos get ready for their 8th super bowl appearance, denver woman is remembering the very first super bowl run back in the 1977/1978 season when she was a flight attendant on the broncos official plane. pamela adams says the team nicknamed her dallas, that's where she is from. and that's who shoe rooted for.

the team took a liking to her, so when the prawns played the cowboys -- broncos play the cowboys in new orleans, the players pressed her to make a decision. >> one of the players said, all right, dallas, we're playing the dallas cowboys. who are you for? and you could hear a pin drop. i said i'm with the boys that brought me to the dance. things didn't go our way. the broncos lost, but she said the team still partied after the loss because they were genuinely excited to be at the super bowl. >> a great story. absolutely. switching gears, let's check in with danielle. it was a beautiful day. nice to see the sunshine. >> just beautiful! and of course, a great broncos sunset. take a look.

wet with the -- sunset with the orange glow. great evening, and all eyes to the west, this game will be going on less than 24 hours, 70 degrees, sunshine. looking good-bye halftime, mid-60s, and women's finish things up in the upper 50s. no complaints. temperatures in the 40s and 50s, a nice night. back at home, not too shabby in denver. still in the 40s. 25 west of the continental divide. that will move into the metro area soon. right now, at the airport, we are looking at mostly cloudy skies. the pesky winds, dealing with that all day long. from the southwest at 13 miles an hour. making it feel more like the pit pit -- mid-30s. not too shabby here, winds are quieted down.

40 miles an hour, 33 for longmont, but 24 in broomfield, and things are picking up across loveland, and berthoud pass, passes seeing about 60 miles an hour speeds. i think the worst overnight into tomorrow morning. here it is, 9:00, 40-50, that's down to idaho springs. around the metro area, not too bad, but base of the foothills, it will be gusty, and late tomorrow evening, they start to settle down. up to the north, a cool front coming and that will bring us cooler air, and spin up the winds. high pressure back behind it. and that's going to help warm us up, dry us out and bring us sunshine. for the regs of the night it, looks quiet and calm, 7:00 a.m. tomorrow, waking up to last minute super bowl preps. we had some flurries in the mountains. i'm not tracking accumulation with that one.

be good, if you're going to a friend's house, or downtown. 10:00, mother nature looking really nice, and hopefully it will be a nice night in denver. this evening, clear up, down to the low 20s. 23 here in the metro area, winds coming from the southwest, 10-20, and tomorrow will be a breezy one, as we have northeasterly winds once the front dives threw. 30s across the front range, eastern plains, 20s to the high country. you can see the foothills, upper 20s, low 30s. partly sunny skills by the afternoon. winds though will feel better. the temperatures, look at that, 50s and 60s for next year. mother nature bringing her a-game. don't go anywhere.

welcome back, live to santa clara california on the night before the super bowl, and we'll get to the big game in a bit, but first, big news out of san francisco, that's where the 2016 hall of fame class was announced. 8 guys got in, but none of them were former broncos. terrell davis, john lynch, and steve atwater hoping to get the call from the hall, but not one of them did. breath -- brett favre, and ken stabler were the winners. >> reporter: it wasn't that bad of a day for the broncos, because terrell davis and john lynch got into the second five

they got into the top 10, and that's significant, because of the five guys, five modern era candidates who got in this year, four of them were in the second five last year, that's harrison, kevin green, tony dungy, and orlando pace. they finished 6 through 10th 10th last year, and they get in this year. that's how the process works. it's about being patient, it's such a backlog of great start. how are you going to kick out of this class? so terrell davis, for the first time, john lynch for the first time get inside that second five, and so i think their chances will be great next year. also, rod, the contributor category, there's going to be two candidates from the contributor category, and there's going to be a lot of momentum for pat mullen to get one of those two spots. so i think it's very possible that the broncos who have just

three in next year's class. >> that would be great news for sure. mike looking at it with the glass half full, mike, appreciate that, we'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning on game day. in super bowl xlviii, the broncos switched hotels the night before, and we know how that turned out, so this time they're staying put. denver asleep now, or we hope. curfew was at 10:00. earlier today, the team had a walk-through at levi stadium. they had the whole family there, walked around, took team photos, a lot of cool stuff. then before going to bed, they did a little of fine tuning and of course, you've got the pregame speech. >> if we're counting on pregame speech to help us get over the top, i think we've, i think our -- our game plan's not real good. saturday night, it is a special

barn, and usually, video guy, steve boxer shows us a highlight tape, and i'm sure he'll have something ready for us to get the guys pumped up. >> reporter: okay, so this is super bowl eve, on christmas eve, i can't sleep, so you wonder what the players are going through, but most of them insist they have no problem catching the zs. >> you know, i'm going to be excited -- knowing the super bowl is the next day, but last time we played, i slept great, so i'm sure i'll sleep the same. >> i slowly well every night. sleeping is not, it's not something i have a hard time doing. i could go sleep anywhere.

yeah, ready to go, i'm asleep. -- i know my brothers will have my back on sunday, i'll have their back. >> reporter: finally the players say they will try to treat the super bowl game like just any other game, which will be easier said than done. everyone is excited as you saw. the super bowl locker room, guys checking out the new stuff, and the super bowl 50 plastered everywhere. but things remain the same, it's called superstition. >> when i go ahead ready, i -- get ready, i do everything from left to right, because i want everybody to end up on the right side, just being right. >> i put everything on left first, except for the cleats. >> i try to treat every game the same way in terms as i get ready. >> i put the socks, left side.

>> it's more of a routine. >> pads left to right. >> i'm up,. >> i'm up,. >> i'm up. >> i'm up. >> kind of in the order of things, i like to do stuff in. there's the order of things. >> you can consider it, i mean you could label it as that, but it's routine. it's routine every day. >> reporter: the superstition is called don't make pre-decision on the game, because -- predictions on the game because it jinx the game. they have worn white in 10 the

guys, back to you. >> appreciate that, rod. >> cj anderson's laugh is so funny. >> just like a kid!

cool front moving in tomorrow, temperatures about 40, and that will warm things up, 50s and 60s with plenty of sunshine for next week. no complaints around here. >> night before the super bowl! >> we have to do it for the last time, we bring nothing but good