KSE Sets Launch Date For Altitude 950 Denver. It Will Be Friday, April 8th.

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From Radio Insight:

Kroenke Sports & Entertainment has closed on its $3.8 million purchase of 950 KRWZ Denver from Entercom and has flipped the station to a temporary simulcast of Country “92.5 The Wolf” KWOF.

The next step for the station will apparently come on Monday, April 11 as the station completes its shift to “Altitude Sports 950” KKSE as the flagship for Kroenke’s Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Rapids. The date was leaked by Fox Sports Radio’s Rich Eisen on Twitter announcing his show will be carried by the station.

Starting April 11 on KKSE-AM 950, home of @nuggets @Avalanche and @ColoradoRapids Quite pumped. https://t.co/JlzaYX4osV — Rich Eisen (@richeisen) March 12, 2016

Eisen’s program is the only Fox Sports Radio program not carried by iHeartMedia’s “Denver Sports 760” KDSP as the station instead clears Colin Cowherd on a two hour delay. It is also expected that former KCNC-TV anchor/”104.3 The Fan” KKFN-FM midday co-host Vic Lombardi will have a role on the station in addition to his duties as studio host for Denver Nuggets broadcasts for their Altitude TV.

Kroenke Sports & Entertainment also owns KWOF, AC “Mix 100.3” KIMN and Classic Hits “Kool 105.1” KXKL in the Denver market. more (https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/105422/kse-sets-launch-date-for-altitude-950-denver/)

[Rob]

I wonder if Scott Hastings (who was fired by KKFN 104.3 The Fan in December) will be on the new KKSE AM?

[radiodude]

Sports radio has gotten very popular in Denver now a days! Here is the interesting part.. 950 has always been the home of those teams!
Nothing new about that anyways? So we got 104.3, 760, and the other station? Alot of sports talk radio sure has appeared over the last few years?
I hope 950 does well in the Denver market! I am surprised over one thing though? I wonder why Kroenke Sports didn't change any of the FM stations to sports?
But instead flipped 950 to sports?

[radiodude]

Well as of today, KKSE 950 is on the air! I guess they went on the air quickly and quitely!

[Dr Jam]

I've listened the last couple of mornings around 6am and they are carrying The Wolf's HD2 channel (classic country).

[radiodude]

I've listened the last couple of mornings around 6am and they are carrying The Wolf's HD2 channel (classic country).

They still have an HD2 playing Willie?!?! Damn, I thought that was gone? So they did an Avalanche game and did the station Id as KKSE 950? Now they went back to this?
Talk about confusing message! I wish they would stick to one thing here to 950.

[Chase]

They still have an HD2 playing Willie?!?! Damn, I thought that was gone? So they did an Avalanche game and did the station Id as KKSE 950? Now they went back to this?
Talk about confusing message! I wish they would stick to one thing here to 950.


It's not Willie. It's a different Classic Country HD2 format.

[radiodude]

It's not Willie. It's a different Classic Country HD2 format.

So I tuned in tonight and its back to sports again. Later today it was playing that classic country on HD2. I am baffled? Part music during the day time and sports at night?

[Ghost of Timber Dick]

Nothing to be baffled about. The full lineup isn't ready yet. They're just phasing it in.

[Rob]

From: http://sportsradiopd.com/2016/04/hastings-gardner-bowman-join-altitude-sports-radio/

Last month, Altitude Sports Radio AM 950, confirmed they were entering the sports radio picture in Denver on Friday, April 8th. The radio station revealed the lineup would feature popular local personalities Vic Lombardi and Kyle Keefe in middays, Nate Kreckman and Tom Nalen in afternoons, and Tom Helmer in mornings with a partner or two to be named later.

The reason for the morning delay was due to the radio station striking a deal with former Colorado Rockies player turned television analyst Ryan Spilborghs, only to have his employer, Root Sports, nix his involvement.

That left Altitude Sports having to adjust, and today they’ve done that by adding Scott Hastings and Lauren Gardner to the morning show.

Hastings was extremely popular during his time at 104.3 The Fan. The radio station though chose not to renew his contract this past December. Gardner, who will also report on the Colorado Avalanche for Altitude TV, has media experience as a sideline reporter, studio host, and in-arena entertainer.

In addition, the radio station is expected to add television personality Julie Browman to Kreckman and Nalen’s afternoon show. Bowman has prior experience in the format from her time in San Diego.

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From All Access:

811

The debut of ALTITUDE SPORTS RADIO, the new Sports format on KROENKE SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT/KSE SPORTS VENTURES' recently-acquired KRWZ-A/DENVER, is set for FRIDAY (5/5), coinciding with the COLORADO ROCKIES' home opener, reports the DENVER POST.

The lineup will include JOSH DOVER hosting "THE MORNING SCOREBOARD" 6-7a (MT), former DENVER NUGGETS player and crosstown KKFN (104.3 THE FAN) host SCOTT HASTINGS with TOM HELMER and ALTITUDE SPORTS TV reporter LAUREN GARDNER in mornings, market veteran VIC LOMBARDI and ALTITUDE SPORTS anchor KYLE KEEFE 1-4p, former crosstown KJAC-KDSP (ESPN DENVER) host NATE KRECKMAN and former DENVER BRONCOS center TOM NALEN 4-7p, and play-by-play of NUGGETS, COLORADO AVALANCHE, COLORADO RAPIDS, and COLORADO MAMMOTH games.
Crosstown MILE HIGH SPORTS RADIO Sports KDCO-A owner JAMES MERILATT will also serve as Program Manager of KRWZ.

more (http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/152244/lineup-set-for-new-sports-format-at-krwz-denver?ref=rss)

[Colorado Media Newsroom]

From The Denver Post:

Altitude Radio will debut April 8 with programming from Vic Lombardi, Nate Kreckman, Tom Nalen and other familiar sports radio personalities

http://www.coloradomedia.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=813&stc=1
Radio hosts Vic Lombardi, right, and Kyle Keefe get prepared for their new sports radio talk show at Altitude Sports Radio, 950 AM. Their program will air for the first time on Friday from 1 to 4 pm. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)

The increasingly competitive Denver sports talk radio scene is shaking yet again with the addition of a long-expected power player: Altitude, the Stan Kroenke-owned regional media outlet.

Altitude Radio will debut on Friday — the day of the Rockies' home opener — on KRWZ 950 AM.

KSE Radio Ventures, a division of Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, purchased the frequency from Entercom Communications in December. Mile High Sports Radio president James Merilatt will serve as program manager while maintaining his role as owner of the independent radio station on 1340 AM, though he will step back from day-to-day operations.

Kroenke and Mile High Sports have worked together since 2010, when Mile High Sports became the Nuggets' and Avalanche's radio partner on, incidentally, 950 AM.

Late last year, KSE lured away longtime KCNC-Channel 4 sports anchor Vic Lombardi to serve as host for Nuggets and Avalanche coverage, adding a level of gravitas to its programming. It drew him, in part, with a promise to give him a radio show on the new network.

"We're guys in our 40s, have families, play golf and love sports," said Lombardi, who was most recently on KKFN 104.3 The Fan's morning show, and will host a show from 1-4 p.m. with Altitude anchor Kyle Keefe. "Our show will be more lighthearted than everything else. We're going to pound the Broncos when the Broncos need pounding. It's still a Broncos town, but not every day, seven days a week."

The station's lineup includes a stable of other top Denver sports radio talent. Josh Dover, who has produced shows with Mile High Sports, The Fan and The Denver Post, will host "The Morning Scoreboard" from 6-7 a.m. The morning drive will feature Tom Helmer, Altitude TV reporter Lauren Gardner, and one of the biggest talents in the market, former Nuggets player Scott Hastings. Lombardi and Keefe carry on from 1-4 p.m., and former ESPN Denver host Nate Kreckman will reunite with former Broncos center Tom Nalen to handle the afternoon drive from 4-7 p.m.

The network will then broadcast play-by-play of its owner's teams — the Nuggets, Avalanche, Colorado Rapids and Colorado Mammoth. But how pointed will hosts be in their criticism, especially for the bigger three, all of which have repeatedly missed the playoffs in recent years?

"We're going to be taking the same approach with every single team," Merilatt said. "We're free to be critical, so long as it's fair. It's going to be the same for the Rockies and Broncos. We're not going to make the criticisms personal."

The upstart station will face challenges building audience on the AM dial, a format that resonates with older listeners and struggles to attract the younger demographic that advertisers covet.

In October, Kroenke purchased three FM radio stations from Wilks Broadcasting, which could open the door for Altitude to jump or simulcast.

Brandon Krisztal, executive producer for iHeartMedia-owned KDSP Denver Sports 760, another new sports station facing the same challenges, said Altitude's task is to "get more people back on the AM dial and conditioned in that habit. But sports fans are still going to go find the best conversation."

The emergence of a new station is just the latest shake-up in Denver's volatile sports talk radio scene. In January, Bonne ville International-owned The Fan became ESPN's regional affiliate, allowing it to beef up programming with access to national ESPN talent and shows.

That move came after Front Range Sports Network sold 105.5 FM to Greeley-based public radio broadcaster KUNC, putting Kreckman and NFL draft expert Cecil Lammey out of jobs.

The same day that ESPN and The Fan formally became affiliates, Denver Sports 760 launched — tagging itself the "Voice of Broncos Country" just as the team was making its run to winning a Super Bowl.

KKFN had a 4.2 rating for February, according to Nielsen, meaning 4.2 percent of radio listeners in the market were tuned in to the station for at least five minutes during a 15-minute block.

KDSP came in at 0.4, while KEPN 1600 The Zone — The Fan's sister station, which carries national ESPN programming around the clock — came in at 0.2. Mile High Sports did not appear in the data.

http://www.coloradomedia.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=812&stc=1
Radio hosts Kyle Keefe, left, and Vic Lombardi meet with executive director Will Petersen, not shown, to discuss their new sports talk radio show on Altitude. (Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post)

more (http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_29725285/altitude-enters-denvers-sports-talk-radio-market)

[Dr Jam]

Wow, it sounds like they are investing a lot on local talent. The question I have is will they be able to get the ratings and advertising sales to make this work? Time will tell.

[radiodude]

Good question, since they have to now compete with KKFN and now KDSP 760 and, the small market of Mile High SPorts.. (not a major concern)..
Since 950 is a very powerful signal, even at night it should work out? I just hope the sales guy has good marketing skills.

[Rob]

Kroenke has a lot of cash to invest and I think they are in this for the long run, no matter if the station loses money or not.

Another thought: I totally thought that KKSE 950 AM would be replacing KDCO 1340 AM on the 104.7 FM translator that KDCO is using. But even though KDCO hasn't promoted the 104.7 FM frequency, they are still on it. KKSE needs to find an FM translator to compete.