'Something Has to Give': Denver Mayor Michael Hancock Upset He Wasn't Able To Watch Nuggets Playoff Game Due To Dispute
DENVER (CBS4)- The Denver Nuggets held onto to beat the Portland Trail Blazers in a 120-115 thriller in Game 3 of the First Round of the NBA Playoffs. Unfortunately, many Nuggets fans weren't able to see the game, and one die-hard fan went to Twitter to voice his frustrations around the fourth quarter of the contest.
Searched everywhere fir the game! So unfair to fans, and the players that we can't watch the @nuggets in game 3 of round one of @NBA playoffs! Something has to give in this three year standoff. #Showthedamngame
— Michael B. Hancock (@MayorHancock) May 28, 2021
"Searched everywhere fir (sic) the game! So unfair to fans, and the players that we can't watch the @nuggets in game 3 of round one of @NBA playoffs! Something has to give in this three year standoff. #Showthedamngame," Denver Mayor Michael Hancock tweeted.
Hancock wasn't alone.
Many Nuggets fans in Colorado weren't able to watch the game because of an ongoing television dispute between Altitude Sports and Entertainment, Comcast and DISH Network. The regional sports channel's standoff with Comcast and DISH started in 2019 when the separate parties couldn't come to an agreement in contract renewal talks.
With the game broadcasted nationally on NBA TV, fans whose cable carriers were Comcast and DISH were not able to watch the game.
"Per league guidelines, all national broadcasts produced by either ESPN or TNT are carried side-by-side with Altitude broadcasts," said Matt Hutchings, COO of KSE. "However, under those same guidelines, NBA TV broadcasts are excluded in local markets."
Altitude Sports would later say in their release that they will "continue to see a resolution with both Comcast and DISH Network to carry Altitude Sports." Injured Nuggets star point guard Jamal Murray hopes fans won't have to miss another playoff game in the future tweeting, "We gotta find a way to get our games everywhere.'
We gotta find a way to get our games everywhere
— Jamal Murray (@BeMore27) May 28, 2021
Fortunately, the Nuggets next game will be shown nationally on TNT with tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Nuggets coach Michael Malone even said he would contact Hancock to fill him in on what he missed in the Game 3 road win.
"Mayor Hancock and I have a great relationship; we get along." I'll definitely reach out to him and give (Mayor Hancock) a recap," Malone said after the game.