The Denver Gazette sports business insider is a reader’s guide to understanding the influence of money, politics and power behind their favorite leagues, teams and players:

Sports business insider: ViewLift will serve as the digital platform for Altitude+ when it debuts later this month for Avalanche and Nuggets game broadcasts.

Short version: Altitude+ will be available sometime in October at $19.95/month for streaming access to all Nuggets and Avalanche game broadcasts not exclusive to national networks. ViewLift — a full-service digital content distribution platform — is the app developer behind Altitude+, a source confirmed to The Denver Gazette. ViewLift has more than 15 years of experience as a cloud-based streaming platform, according to its website, and reported 3.5 billion streams over the world in 2022-23. It has existing partnerships with NHL, NBA, WNBA and LIV Golf.

Long version: Altitude Sports — a Stan Kroenke-owned regional sports network (RSN) — navigated its longtime cable TV blackout on Comcast with a new digital streaming service (Altitude+) and a combined 40 Avalanche/Nuggets game broadcasts on free over-the-air TV (9NEWS/My20) in 2024-25.

Altitude Sports will continue to produce its own broadcasts. ViewLift is the digital streaming platform that will make them available to Altitude+ subscribers within a nine-state territory: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota and Wyoming.

ViewLift is already partnered with the Capitals (NHL), Golden Knights (NHL), Mystics (WNBA), Panthers (NHL) and Wizards (NBA) to provide digital streaming of their live game broadcasts. The RSN industry is crumbling as traditional cable subscribers seek new ways to watch their favorite teams. Altitude+ represents a new era of accessibility for Avalanche and Nuggets fans.

Key context: Ted Leonsis is the founder of ViewLift. He’s also team owner of the Capitals, Mystics and Wizards. The company started in 2008 as a “cloud-based streaming platform” and has since evolved to help professional sports franchises widen distribution of their local game broadcasts.

Some details of Altitude+ have not been released. However, on Monday the Golden Knights announced their streaming product — called KnightTime+ — will be integrated with live sports betting features. ViewLift is also compatible with Smart TVs and gaming consoles.

Looking ahead: Kevin Demoff, KSE president of media operations, said the target date for releasing Altitude+ on iOS and Android devices is Saturday for the Avs home opener. The Denver Gazette’s sports business insider will keep you in the loop when it becomes available for download.