After a number of years of squaring off in court docket, Altitude Sports activities & Leisure and Comcast Company have reached a settlement in an ongoing federal antitrust lawsuit. However, whereas an indication of attainable progress in a bigger, ongoing dispute, the 2 stay at odds over a carriage deal, leaving native Avalanche and Nuggets followers at the hours of darkness.
The cable supplier and regional sports activities community introduced the settlement, which is confidential, Friday afternoon. In keeping with Comcast, the events will quickly file a stipulation of dismissal with prejudice of the swimsuit.
Altitude had beforehand sued Comcast over alleged antitrust violations again in 2019. Within the criticism, filed in america District Courtroom for the District of Colorado, the Denver sports activities community claimed Comcast wished to “extinguish competitors from Altitude,” and “strengthen its management over multichannel tv distribution within the Denver DMA and across the nation.”
Comcast has denied these allegations and referred to as the swimsuit “meritless,” saying it stays keen to distribute Altitude’s content material in a manner that will not increase charges for nearly all clients.
The settlement seemingly marks the tip to a bitter authorized stalemate however is not going to resolve the continuing carriage dispute between the media firm and cable supplier, a spokesperson for Comcast mentioned.
“This a lot is evident – Kroenke Sports activities controls the groups, the sector, and the Altitude community. The ball is of their court docket to do the appropriate factor and make it accessible to their followers, no matter their service supplier,” mentioned Leslie Oliver, Comcast Colorado Communications Director. “Comcast has been clear all alongside that we wish to make the video games accessible to the followers who wish to watch them with out making everybody else pay.”
The yearslong carriage dispute started in 2019 when a deal between the 2 entities ended. Consequently, all Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets video games have been blacked out for Comcast clients, which make up about 92 p.c of cable subscribers out there, Altitude has said in court docket paperwork.
In negotiations, Altitude requested Comcast for a “reasonable client worth index enhance,” firm leaders beforehand advised CBS New Colorado. Comcast has mentioned doing so will increase charges for practically all clients, whereas solely a small quantity watch Altitude.
In keeping with Friday’s joint launch, Comcast and Altitude “stay keen to debate potential future enterprise and distribution preparations.”
A spokeswoman for Comcast Colorado tells CBS Information Colorado the corporate has beforehand provided to make the community accessible to clients on a standalone subscription foundation, prefer it does with HBO or Netflix. That might permit clients who need the channel to get it, whereas the overwhelming majority, who Comcast maintains do not watch the community, will not need to pay for it.
Matt Hutchings, President and CEO of Kroenke Sports activities and Leisure Media Ventures, which owns and operates Altitude Sports activities, has mentioned the corporate desires to be handled the identical as different regional sports activities networks throughout the nation. In keeping with Hutchings, the community requested Comcast in July for a similar deal it gave AT&T Sportsnet Rocky Mountain, the house of the Colorado Rockies.
“Comcast desires to make an instance out of Colorado’s impartial regional sports activities community, Altitude Sports activities,” Hutchings mentioned in October.
Consultants say the continuing dispute is a part of an even bigger downside seen throughout the nation, the place regional sports activities networks (RSN) and cable suppliers proceed to sq. off amidst a quickly altering media panorama.
In some cities, fights over subscription charges have led to related blackouts. There have additionally been different points involving RSNs, together with Diamond Sports activities Group, the corporate that owns Bally Sports activities, just lately submitting for chapter after lacking an curiosity fee to bondholders.
“The entire mannequin of sports activities tv is damaged proper now,” mentioned Darrin Duber-Smith, a senior lecturer with Metropolitan State College of Denver’s College of Enterprise, beforehand advised CBS Information Colorado. “You are at some extent the place one thing has to provide, and I believe the Avalanche and Comcast are on the entrance strains of this a lot bigger battle.”
