The Nuggets open their playoff series with Portland tomorrow night in Denver on ESPN. That network choice is good news for local fans in Denver, because if the game was on NBA TV, they might not be able to watch it.
Unfortunately, next Thursday’s Game 3 is currently set for NBA TV, and that could be a big issue for some fans. That’s because NBA TV broadcasts are traditionally blacked out in local markets, and in Denver, the Nuggets are carried on Altitude Sports. Altitude, owned by Kroenke Sports Entertainment (which obviously also owns the Nuggets, along with the Rams, Avalanche, and Arsenal), is currently embroiled in a carriage dispute with Comcast and DISH. That means that Game 3 might only be available on Altitude.
According to a report tonight from Mike Singer at the Denver Post, that will indeed be the case for Game 3; if a deal isn’t reached by Thursday, a swatch of local fans won’t be able to watch a potentially pivotal playoff game.
From the Post:
Game 3 of Denver’s upcoming first-round series against Portland is facing a local blackout on NBA TV, league sources confirmed to The Denver Post.
Altitude Sports announced on Friday that it would air all of the Nuggets-Blazers games, yet the regional sports network remains embroiled in a carriage dispute with Comcast and Dish. As of now, DirecTV remains the largest carrier with Altitude Sports.
Game 3 of Denver’s upcoming first-round series against Portland is facing a local blackout on NBA TV, league sources confirmed to The Denver Post.
Altitude Sports announced on Friday that it would air all of the Nuggets-Blazers games, yet the regional sports network remains embroiled in a carriage dispute with Comcast and Dish. As of now, DirecTV remains the largest carrier with Altitude Sports.
This is obviously brutal timing for this, and it’s especially odd as the team itself is more directly involved here as the owner of the distributor. Choosing not to at least offer a one-game exception next week would certainly be different way to piss off your fans. The league also looks bad there, as it’s technically a national game on NBA TV, though that network is always blacked out in-market during the regular season, as well.
Altitude’s statement played the PR hits:
Altitude announces it will broadcast all Nuggets first-round games. COO Matt Hutchings says, "This marks the second full season that Comcast and Dish have continued to ignore Nuggets fans by denying them access to a season full of thrilling games and award-winning broadcasts…"
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) May 21, 2021
More from the release: "What Comcast and DISH Network wants from us is a deal that would put Altitude out of business and raise prices on our fans — and we won't stand for it."
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) May 21, 2021
(Considering the recent Super League fiasco, you’d think the Kroenke family would have some PR incentive here.)
Hopefully this gets resolved one way or another; no team’s fans should have to scramble to watch a playoff game in 2021.
