Unity and Tradition: Celebrating Military Families and Sports Spirit at Fan Day Nation

Fan Day Nation founder Mike Evans and his wife proudly support the Denver Broncos, continuing a family legacy of sports passion and unity.

Honoring the commitment of military families and veterans goes beyond recognition; it's about celebrating the resilience, values, and spirit they bring to every aspect of life—including their love for sports. At Fan Day Nation, we’re proud to spotlight three incredible individuals—Mike Evans, Maria Elena Duron, and Nicole Taybron—who embody both a deep connection to the military and an unbreakable sports spirit. Through their unique perspectives, we gain insight into how the bonds formed in military life often mirror the sense of unity, tradition, and community found in being a sports fan.

Mike Evans, Founder of Fan Day Nation

Mike Evans, the founder of Fan Day Nation, is a veteran himself, a second-generation Air Force officer. “I loved serving my country and am so proud of the men and women I worked with. The military helped me grow up fast. It taught me the importance of being a person of my word and working with people from all backgrounds. And it taught me how precious each moment is, and tomorrow is not promised.”

How was being in the military similar to being a sports fan? 

The biggest similarity for me was both the military and being a sports fan is all about providing a sense of community and belonging. Also, a sense of unity of purpose about winning or completing the mission.

What does being a Broncos fan mean to you and your family?

My father played for the Broncos, which made us always feel connected. Now writing a weekly article on the Broncos for Sports Illustrated is serendipitous.

What’s your favorite team and player?

I am a big Denver Nuggets fan, too! Aaron Gordon is my favorite player. He always plays hard, never takes any plays off, and is always about the team.

How do you show your team spirit?

I show my team spirit by investing way too much time in learning about local, team, coaches, and organizations that I cannot impact except being a rabid fan and cheering for my teams like a crazy person.

How do sports bring your family together?

Sports have always been at the center of my family. In our youth, my brother and I played sports. As a parent with kids playing sports, my wife and I spent many hours transporting our kids to games and cheering them on when they were playing.

Do you have any family traditions when it comes to game day?

We are rabid fans of the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, and the University of Colorado sports. If they are on television, we are posted up watching while eating good food.

What are you looking forward to this season?

I always look forward to watching how the coach engages players in a moment of crisis and how the player responds after the coaching. Each moment is always unique and the outcome never comes out 100% as planned.

Maria Elena Duron, VP of Global Operations and Performance Management at Fan Day Nation, shares her love for the Cowboys with her husband, celebrating a family tradition that brings them closer.

Maria Elena Duron, VP of Global Operations and Performance Management

Maria Elena Duron, our VP of Global Operations and Performance Management, reflects on growing up as the daughter of an Air Force veteran, she grew up on military bases around the world, graduating from a Department of Defense school. Her first job was working at the commissary on a military base, and she continues to serve military families, spouses, the USO, and military personnel transitioning to civilian life on her Google Trainer team, as well as working annually with the Air Force Recruiters over the past seven years. “Growing up as part of a military family is more than a title, it’s a lifestyle rooted in responsibility, honor, and a deep love for our country.”

What does being a military family mean to you?

Being part of a military family embodies spirit, patriotism, and a strong sense of responsibility. Growing up in a MilFam means serving alongside your parents who serve, understanding that your actions reflect on the entire family. For us, that meant knowing that any issues at school or within the community were taken seriously—not just for ourselves, but because they could impact the leadership perception of our family. We learned early on about accountability and the connection between actions and consequences. Moving frequently (or PSCing), we functioned as a cohesive unit, with each family member understanding their role.

There’s also a deep-rooted patriotism that’s ingrained in everyday life. Every morning started with the Star-Spangled Banner, the school day with the Pledge, and we memorized the Preamble to the Constitution in elementary school. We’d stop and stand at attention no matter where we were when the flag was lowered at 5 PM and Taps was played. Before every movie, the Star-Spangled Banner would play, and we knew to stand at attention—only placing a hand over our heart for the Pledge to honor the flag. Living overseas made this bond even stronger; everyone on base became part of an extended family. I am incredibly proud to be a member of a military family and to call myself an Air Force brat!

What does being a Cowboys fan mean to you and your family? 

Being a Cowboys fan is a tradition that started with my husband and became a gift to our family and extended family. As a young child, he would watch games through windows, unable to join his uncles inside as they passionately yelled at each other and the TV. We introduced our boys to the games early on, and my father was drawn to it as well—not just for the sport, but for the strong sense of community and the meaning behind the blue lone star. For him, it was also a dream come true, fulfilling a lifelong wish from the age of 8 to one day live in Texas.

What’s your favorite team and player?

We don't have a favorite player—we're Cowboys fans through and through, no matter who's wearing the star. For us, it's all about the team, not any one individual.

How do you show your team spirit?

We have an entire “shrine” or entertainment room or man-cave if you will that is decked out with everything Cowboys. From a Cowboy floor that my husband created, designed, and installed himself to jerseys and every kind of accessory with the star on it imaginable.  

How do sports bring your family together?

We watch, cheer, eat all together. It’s a family event whether we’re watching at home or at the stadium.  Even our puppy dog got into it when he was with us! 

Do you have any family traditions when it comes to game day?

I’m not sure if we’d call it a tradition—it’s just what we do. We're always “all-in” for the game, with food around and every TV in the house on, tuned in together.

When we’re at the stadium, we stay at the team hotel, dine at a player-owned restaurant, and arrive early to enjoy the tailgating and the unique experience of the stadium.

What are you looking forward to this season? 

It’s all about finding the right quarterback who can truly lead us to a Super Bowl. I don’t think our current quarterback can take us there—it’s likely going to be one of our backups or someone new. I’m also really enjoying watching our kicker. He’s consistent, and his soccer background resonates with me since I played soccer in high school and was our team’s quarterback.

Nicole Taybron’s son, Xavier, shows his team spirit in his favorite Baltimore Ravens jersey, embodying the family’s strong sports traditions.

Nicole Taybron, Community Manager

Nicole Taybron is our Community Manager extraordinaire and a proud child of an Army veteran. The military continues to play a large part in her family’s life. “I grew up in England, and my son goes to a charter public school on base. The military is always with us.”

What does being a military family mean to you?

It is the ultimate definition of family. All people from all over the world come together for one common cause. It means everything. 

What does being a sports fan mean to you and your family? 

It has been a lifeline throughout the whole family. From my father playing all the sports when he was a child and hearing about it from my mother and my brother showing off his athleticism in high school playing baseball, basketball, and football. It even goes to my nephew who played college football for a D1 school.  My son is even getting pressure from everyone in the family to get involved in some sort of sports.

What’s your favorite team and player?

I'm really into Colorado football right now. I'm sold on the dream that Primetime is selling those young men and I love to see them prosper. I watch every game that comes on TV.

How do you show your team spirit?

I'm very superstitious. If they're playing good while I'm watching, I watch.  If they play good while I'm looking at my phone I watch my phone. In a crazy way I feel is if I am dictating wins and losses I what I'm doing 

How do sports bring your family together?

It keeps the games extra exciting. I have had bets with my husband and my son on wins and losses. 

Do you have any family traditions when it comes to game day?

The current tradition is that my son has to have the jersey of the team he loves or something with the team on it during the game. He also has to sleep with the blanket that has his team all over it the night before.

What are you looking forward to this season?

I'm hopefully looking forward to Kansas City not going back to the Super Bowl so I can enjoy the Super Bowl for the first time in a couple of years.

Celebrating Veterans, Family, and Fan Spirit

As we honor the service and dedication of military families, let’s remember the powerful ways that community, shared purpose, and loyalty shape our lives—both on and off the field. Fan Day Nation invites you to celebrate these connections and reflect on the value of family, teamwork, and perseverance. Whether you're cheering for your favorite team or supporting a loved one in uniform, let’s rally together in gratitude and pride. Join us in showing appreciation for our veterans and military families this season by sharing your own stories of unity and support!