Avs and Nuggets are finally back on TV, KSE apologizes

DENVER — Kevin Demoff’s first priority in his new role as boss at Kroenke Sports and Entertainment was to get the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets and Altitude back on TV in the Mile High City. It’s such a high-ranking issue for the promoted executive that he went straight to a meeting about the issue right after his introductory press conference. Less than a year later, his mission was accomplished.

The bosses at KSE and other key figures joined for a news conference at Ball Arena on Tuesday to share an agreement between them and Comcast, ending a nearly six-year stalemate where the NBA and NHL teams did not air on Xfinity. While the ink is barely dry, Demoff said the agreement kicks into place Tuesday with the Avs contest against the Canucks. Comcast officials say the Altitude is already available on the provider’s sports package. That package will raise in cost in April by $6 a month to $15.99. The games will be on station No. 1250. The sides did not say when the new contract ends.

“We owe an apology to our players, staff, front office and mostly our fans. Every game we missed was one too many,” Demoff said apologizing. “Every day that went by for the past year that there was a game not on TV was too many. Too many shots, too many goals were missed for our fans, and I think we took that responsibility very personally. This was priority number one for the Kroenke family to make sure these teams got back on the air. And so from that perspective, it’s a great day.”

Altitude had been off of Denver’s largest cable carrier, Comcast, since the summer of 2019, when the network’s contracts with that provider, as well as DISH Network and DirecTV, expired. The network is still unavailable on DISH. Around the country, teams have found innovative and old-school solutions to the same issue KSE teams have faced in Denver for six years. Colorado’s other RSN, AT&T Sports Network Rocky Mountain collapsed, leaving the Rockies without a home and they have be streaming directly to consumers this year after it seemed Altitude may have passed up on the option to get the baseball club’s rights. The Rockies are one of many teams in pro sports whose broadcasting deals have fallen apart in recent years.

The Golden Knights, who were on the same network as the Rockies, play 69-of-82 regular season games this season on over-the-air traditional broadcasts available in local markets across the Great Basin. The team partnered with Scripps Sports, which owns local TV stations while at the same time, the team created— KnightTime+—a local streaming service for fans. The NHL team is one of countless teams that have had to adapt to a new broadcast model because of the changing industry.

The Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets are owned of course by KSE, which owns the network. Altitude got creative under Demoff, offering a streaming app and worked deals with Tegna to put the teams on 9News and Channel 20 for select games to go over the air. He credits the great response by the fans to those services to help get the deal with Comcast done.

Getting the 2022 NHL champs and 2023 NBA champs available to watch for as many people as possible was a goal for more than just KSE brass.

“This is an incredible day for Denver sports fans. I’ve been waiting for it for six years. Finally, tonight, in every home in Denver, it was a tragedy for us not to be able to see these games and have this song.” Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said. “I mean, it is an absolute gift to be able to watch some of the greatest athletes in sports history playing in your hometown every night, and sometimes it is just 30 minutes when you’re washing dishes or 30 minutes when you’re doing homework with the kids.”

KSE officials had said in the past that the fact they actually own their own RSN is causing complications in this situation and won’t allow the easy solution the Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers have found by simply putting the games over the air for free.

Demoff said they’ll look at another deal to put some Avs and Nuggets games over the air in the future, as their current contract is up at season’s end. He also said the next step is getting Altitude on services like Hulu and YouTube TV.

“We want our teams and our players to be available everywhere, that fans can turn on the device anywhere you go, that you can watch the Nuggets. You can watch the Avalanche,” Demoff said. “You can watch Nathan MacKinnon, who leads the NHL in scoring. You can watch Nicola Jokic, who is having another MVP-quality season. Ee won’t rest until that’s done, but today is a great opportunity to continue down that path.”