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New Viewing Options for Denver Sports Fans #

Local fans of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche will have new ways to watch their teams’ games this season.

The company that owns these Denver-based professional sports franchises and their regional sports network is partnering with a broadcast station owner to offer a selection of Avalanche and Nuggets games this season. Additionally, they are launching a direct-to-consumer streaming service.

This move is part of a growing trend, especially among NBA and NHL teams, which are seeking more ways to offer games to fans who have moved away from traditional pay-TV subscriptions.

Starting this season, 20 Nuggets and 20 Avalanche games will be available on free local over-the-air broadcasts.

The new direct-to-consumer streaming service, Altitude+, will launch in October. This platform will provide fans in the Denver media market access to all Avalanche and Nuggets games for a monthly fee.

The NHL season begins in early October, with the first North American games starting a few days later. The NBA season begins in late October.

While both teams’ local games are aired on a regional sports network, it has limited availability in the Denver market. The new broadcasting partnership and streaming service aim to address this issue for local fans.

This development is part of a broader trend in sports broadcasting. In the wake of financial challenges faced by some regional sports networks, numerous teams have opted out of their agreements, instead choosing deals with broadcasters and launching streaming services.

Several other NBA and NHL teams have made similar moves, partnering with local over-the-air broadcasters or offering streaming options for their games.

Regional sports networks are also increasingly offering streaming options, though they must be cautious not to disrupt the traditional pay-TV model and breach contracts with distributors. These pay-TV contracts help support the substantial fees that the networks pay to professional sports leagues for broadcasting rights.