PHOENIX — The Broncos are inching closer to finding a stadium-naming rights sponsor.

“I feel better about it than maybe I did a year ago,” Broncos CEO/president Joe Ellis said Monday at the NFL’s annual meeting. “But that doesn’t make me promise anything. I’m confident we’ll have a partner who is the right partner.

“We’re narrowing down on some details with a company, and I’m really hopeful we can bring a deal to closure. Will it be before the start of the season? I don’t know.”

Last year, the facility was called Broncos Stadium at Mile High.

In August 2011, Sports Authority signed a 25-year agreement worth $6 million annually. But it went bankrupt in 2016, and the Broncos purchased the rest of the contract, which has allowed them to seek a new corporate sponsor. The team has also been making all of the payments for stadium maintenance and upgrades.

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The Broncos are seeking a long-term agreement with a corporate sponsor.

“And that’s probably what makes it trickier,” Ellis said. “But a long-term partner is usually one who has great vision and great stability, and I’m hoping we can find the right opening for that.”

During a 25-minute session with two beat reporters, Ellis talked about several other topics:

* Ellis addressed the October lawsuit filed by Bill Bowlen (one of Pat Bowlen’s brothers) against Ellis and fellow trustees Rich Slivka (the Broncos’ team counsel) and Mary Kelly (an attorney in Denver).

Bill Bowlen wants the trustees removed from power “due to their failure to uphold Pat Bowlen’s wishes and act in the best interest of Pat Bowlen, his family and the Broncos.”

Lawyers for the trustees and Bill Bowlen have volleyed motions ever since. Two weeks ago, Judge Charles Pratt of the Arapahoe County District Court refused to dismiss the case, but also said the NFL can still be involved if it wishes and the trustees don’t have to pay their legal fees with their own funds.

“My reaction is that the case moves forward and we’ll see what comes out in court,” Ellis said. “We’re confident our facts will stand up.”

The NFL has not yet announced whether it will grant the trustees’ request to serve as an arbitrator.

* “Remarkable” ticket renewal rate. The Broncos raised ticket prices in February for the 2019 season. Ninety-five percent of the general seats will have an increase of one percent, and the remaining five percent will increase by less than 10 percent. Related Articles Broncos Briefs: After fine, Vic Fangio vows to be more aware of wearing mask

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Ellis said the season ticket renewal rate is “between 96-98 percent.”

“Remarkable,” he said. “It just speaks to what a great market we have and what a great following we have for the Broncos, for pro football, for the NFL. We are very, very fortunate and we’re not complacent about it. We do not take it for granted.”

* Replay. Ellis expects some form of expanded replay to be approved this week by the teams but said the length of the games is likely to prevent many changes.

“There is significant research and analytics that (younger) people don’t want to watch games if they go over three hours,” he said. “There is some concern there. And I share that concern, actually. But having said that, I love replay. I think it adds to the telecast. I think it adds to the fan experience, and if it can be brought into greater detail to get more calls right without being too burdensome to the time of the game and the in-stadium experience and the play on the field, then I would be for that. … My guess is that you’ll see some form of expanded replay implemented in 2019.”