Talks to end the three-year contract dispute between cable giant Comcast and local sports broadcaster Altitude TV failed Tuesday, meaning another season of Colorado sports could be unavailable to customers of the state’s largest cable provider.
A Comcast spokesperson confirmed a second round of mediation failed to yield an agreement between the two parties. They do not currently have another round of mediation scheduled.
“We are fans of the Avs, Nuggets and Rapids, and we share the Colorado hockey fans’ excitement around the Avs amazing Stanley Cup win. We’ve presented options for some time to Altitude for how we could carry the games without raising rates for all Comcast customers. And we continue to remain open to continuing discussions with Altitude,” Comcast spokesperson Leslie Oliver said in an email.
Altitude TV did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The channel broadcasts the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Rapids. The three teams and the channel are all owned by Stan Kroenke.
The breakdown in negotiations will likely come as a disappointment to fans, as well as Colorado state legislators who introduced and subsequently killed a bill that would have forced the two parties to come to an agreement through state intervention.
One group of fans will soon be free of this dispute, however. Starting in 2023, the Rapids will be removed from Altitude’s programming lineup. All Major League Soccer games will be exclusively streamed on Apple TV+ starting that year.
