DENVER — NBA commissioner Adam Silver has a brother in Boulder, so he hears all the time about the blackouts that continue to prevent Nuggets fans from watching Nuggets games.
Silver said Thursday night before Game 1 of the NBA Finals that he’s frustrated by the “terrible situation” that is the ongoing standoff between Comcast and Altitude TV, the regional sports network that broadcasts Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche games.
“It makes no sense,” Silver said, “and it’s on us to fix it.”
Altitude sued Comcast shortly after its carriage deal lapsed in September 2019, accusing the cable giant of violating antitrust laws. The two parties reached a settlement in March, but they remain at an impasse that kept Avalanche and Nuggets games blacked out in Colorado for the remainder of the 2022-23 seasons. Local Comcast customers have been unable to watch the two Kroenke Sports & Entertainment franchises since the 2019 contract expiration.
“The league office has tried to mediate several times between the parties,” Silver said. “It’s a commercial dispute, and there hasn’t been a simple resolution to it. There’s no doubt it’s bad for the fans, of course.”
Silver said the conflict is especially frustrating to him because of the Nuggets’ success as a top seed in the Western Conference with a two-time MVP.
Silver cited a conversation he had with Nuggets and Avalanche owner Stan Kroenke more than a year ago to point out that the conflict is part of a broader issue involving RSNs and the future of NBA broadcasting. He said Kroenke told him Altitude vs. Comcast was “a bit of a canary in a mine in terms of the breakdown of the regional sports network model.” Diamond Sports Group, the largest owner of RSNs with 19 networks under the Bally Sports banner, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March.
“One of the things that’s changed considerably since this dispute has started is the advent of many more streaming platforms. Better digital streaming technology,” Silver said, noting that the NBA must soon embark on negotiations for new national deals, as current partnerships have two years remaining. “I hope this is a period we look back on as we say we went through a transition, and we got to a place where a fan, wherever they are , can watch every game. Most likely it’ll be through some sort of digital offering.”
Get off Malone’s back
In terms of watching the Nuggets in person, coach Michael Malone has noticed a convenient uptick in ticket requests from his acquaintances.
“The number of people that I’ve heard from in this run has been incredible, from high school teammates, college teammates, coaches,” he said before Game 1, smiling. “Most people have an opinion, and everybody wants a ticket. I give them the 1-800 ticket number.”
On a more earnest note, Malone said he has enjoyed hearing congratulations from so many people he knows, from old friends to peers in the coaching community.
“When you get to a stage like this, people that are reaching out, it does mean a lot, and I am thankful,” he said.