DISH Raises the Roof with Altitude Deal

[Gregg Lengling]

EchoStar's DISH Network scored a multi-year carriage agreement with Altitude Sports and Entertainment, the new regional sports network coming from Denver-based Kroenke Sports Enterprises.

Beginning this fall, Altitude will deliver coverage of Colorado Avalanche hockey and Denver Nuggets basketball, among other sports and games, to viewers in 10 states. Kroenke owns the teams along with other franchises that play at the Pepsi Center in Denver.

The carriage deal announced Thursday is the first for Altitude. Executives with the network said they are working on finishing deals with other cable/satellite distributors.

Extensive marketing of DISH Network on Altitude also is part of the deal. The most noticeable aspect of the campaign: The DISH Network logo will appear on the roof of the Pepsi Center, home of the Avalanche and Nuggets, and that logo might be seen on Altitude (and cable and satellite TV competitors that carry the net) when overhead outdoor shots of the arena are shown on TV.

Meanwhile, phone giant SBC Communications reported that - as of the end of June - it had 121,000 DISH Network subscribers, with 100,000 added in the second quarter. SBC has been working with EchoStar on a bundle of services that includes satellite TV.

SBC said it enrolled the DISH Network customers with minimal advertising. The company began marketing its integrated SBC/satellite TV service in March, expanding from a soft launch to full sales-channel coverage in April.