Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) will once again make a slate of Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche games available on free broadcast television through a renewed agreement with TEGNA.
The deal covers 20 Nuggets games and 20 Avalanche games during the upcoming season, with broadcasts split between Denver stations KUSA (Channel 9, NBC) and KTVD (Channel 20, MyNetworkTV).
Nearly 3.5 million people in the Denver area will have access to the broadcasts, which will be produced by Altitude Sports using its on-air talent. Chris Marlowe, Scott Hastings, Vic Lombardi, Katy Winge and Christopher Dempsey will handle Nuggets coverage, while Marc Moser, Mark Rycroft, John-Michael Liles, Kyle Keefe and Rachel Tos will call Avalanche games.
Kevin Demoff, president of team and media operations at KSE, said the extension underscores the company’s commitment to reaching fans who may not be able to attend games in person.
“Last season’s overwhelming community response to this partnership reinforced our commitment to ensuring that the fans who support the Nuggets and Avs can cheer on their favorite teams even when they can’t be with us at Ball Arena,” Demoff said in a statement.
The agreement allows for a total of 40 games to air on KTVD this season, with 10 of those contests — five Nuggets games and five Avalanche games — simulcast on KUSA, Denver’s top-rated NBC affiliate.
The partnership was forged last year after years of carriage disputes kept Nuggets and Avalanche games largely confined to Altitude Sports, a regional network that remains unavailable on several major cable and satellite platforms. Free over-the-air distribution helped broaden exposure for both teams at a time when local television rights across the sports industry are undergoing rapid change.
Last season’s broadcasts drew strong ratings as the Nuggets advanced to the NBA’s Western Conference Semifinals and the Avalanche secured a place in the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. TEGNA executives said the response validated the move to bring the games back to broadcast TV.
“After last year’s tremendous success as the official over-the-air broadcast home of the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche, we’re excited to continue this partnership for another season,” said Mark Cornetta, the Senior Vice President of Media Operations at TEGNA. “The response last year exceeded our expectations, and we’re proud to once again provide Denver fans with the ability to watch their beloved Nuggets and Avs play.”
