The Denver Nuggets NBA playoff run, which culminated with the franchise winning its first ever championship was good for local sports radio brands. The greatest benefactor of their success this quarter was the team’s flagship station, Altitude Sports Radio 92.5.
The Kroenke Sports and Entertainment brand’s biggest win came in morning drive. Moser, Lombardi and Kane featuring Marc Moser, Vic Lombardi and Brett Kane finished #1 for the quarter with Men 25-54 from 7a-10a with an 8.2 share. They were also #1 with Men 18-34 and Men 18-49. Year over year, the show rose from 9th to 1st thanks to a four point gain. Over a two year period the show has picked up more than seven full shares.
Altitude also got a big performance this quarter from its afternoon show, Kreckman and Lindahl featuring Nate Kreckman and Andy Lindahl. The drive time team finished 2nd with a 7.4 share, up four and a half points and ten ranking positions from last year.
In middays, Altitude ranked 5th with a 5.5 during Dempsey and Company, which features Chris Dempsey, Matt McChesney, and Alex Rajaniemi. The station’s second midday program, Polumbus, Hastings and Dover which includes Tyler Polumbus, Scott Hastings, and Josh Dover came in 6th with a 4.8 share.
In weekday prime, Altitude finished 4th overall with a 6.3 share. The station improved year over year by ten ranking positions and more than three full ratings shares. They’ve also nearly quadrupled their share from 2021 to 2023.
For Denver Sports 104.3 The Fan, the news was good as well. Despite not having the local play by play rights, the station capitalized on local passion for the Nuggets, narrowly winning the M-F 6a-6p weekday battle with a 2nd place 6.7 share performance. The Fan was up six spots and nearly three full points during the same period last year when they ranked 8th with a 3.8 share.
Turning to mornings, Schlereth and Evans with Mark Schlereth and Mike Evans ranked 3rd this book with a 7.3 share. They were up from a 4.7 and 6th place finish year over year. One key item to point out, The Fan’s morning show runs 6a-9a. Altitude’s runs 7a-10a with Brett Kane doing a solo hour from 6a-7a.
Moving to middays, Stokley and Zach featuring Brandon Stokley and Zach Bye recorded a 6.1 share to rank 3rd from 11a-2p. The show was up year over year from 7th and a 4.2 share. The Fan’s second midday program, The Players Club with Orlando Franklin, Chad Brown, and Nate Jackson came in 6th with a 5.1 share. The time slot grew from 14th and a 2.7 share last year.
Closing things out in afternoons, The Drive featuring Darren ‘DMac’ McKee and Derek Wolfe finished 3rd with Men 25-54 with a 6.6 share. The PM drive program improved from 12th place and a 3.5 share during the same period last year.
Newsradio KOA, which serves as the home of the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies, and Colorado Football, also saw improvement this quarter. The afternoon trio of Dave Logan, Alfred Williams & Ryan Edwards, which airs weekdays from 3p-6p MT doubled their share year over year, rising to a 1.9, 16th place finish. One year earlier they were 25th with a 0.9.
The Denver Nuggets title run certainly helped all local radio brands. Championship celebrations during the spring book though are nothing new to Denver, the city had the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup during the same period last year. Does this mean the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies or Colorado Buffaloes are next?
When local teams win, it has a carryover effect on radio stations. The enthusiasm for the Nuggets led to increased listening this quarter, fueling a legitimate ratings battle between the market’s top two sports brands. It’s a safe bet that the talent and programmers at both of these stations will be even more motivated moving forward trying to capture the market’s attention.
