Exclusive: Denver Comcast/DISH subscribers won’t see Avalanche round-robin, first-round playoff games

The answer is: no. Just because there has been a global pandemic, just because much of the good ole US of A remains anchored to their couches, just because we’ve all been without sports for four months and counting now, the answer is: no. The stalemate that existed prior to the pandemic, between Altitude TV and heavyweight cable provider Comcast (and DISH Network) still exists. What that means is: when the Avalanche officially returns to action, on or around Aug. 1, for the first of three round-robin NHL postseason games AND throughout the entire first round, Comcast and DISH subscribers will not be able to see the games, multiple sources tell Colorado Hockey Now.

This, of course, is barring any breakthrough to the impasse between the corporate heavyweights that has dragged on since the tail end of last summer (more on that later).

The Avalanche will journey to Edmonton some time close to Aug. 1 for the NHL’s “Return to Play” postseason, to be held at Rogers Place. The Avs have an exemption from the “play-in round” that eight other Western Conference teams will have to play, but will play three round-robin games against the Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues, to determine 1-4 seeding in the official first round.

Those three games, along with the official first round, are the exclusive broadcast property of Altitude Sport and Entertainment. There may be a case where the NBC “main” network picks up an Avs round-robin or first-round game. If that’s the case, the game will be shown on Ch. 9 locally. But, even if the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) picks up an Avs round-robin or first-round game, that game will be blacked out locally to all Comcast/DISH subscribers.

The only major local cable carrier that carries Altitude remains DirecTV.

After the first round, games will be broadcast on the various NBC networks in the U.S. The exact schedule of games, with dates and times, remains undisclosed. But the bottom line remains: Avs fans who have Comcast (which commands the largest part of the Denver area) or DISH won’t be able to see the games, unless they switch to DirecTV or go to a local bar. (And, bars remain closed in the Denver area, because of the coronavirus).

While things remain somewhat fluid with Altitude’s actual broadcast plans for the games in Edmonton, it is likely that play-by-play man Marc Moser and color analyst Peter McNab will do the games in Denver while watching a monitor of the actual play. Expect that to be the norm for most “local” TV sports broadcasts – especially for road games – while the pandemic restrictions remain in place.

For more on all the bad blood between Altitude and Comcast/DISH, which goes back to last year, click here.

There is some hope that Comast’s hand might be forced when the playoffs start again, not just with the Avs but also with the Nuggets and Rapids. Comcast may not want to be left out of what could be a ratings bonanza for games locally, with the teams having been off for so long and with good playoff prospects for at least the Avs and Nuggets.

But that could still be wishful thinking. The stalemate has dragged into the courts, with not much in the way of optimism at breaking the deadlock.