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NLL Colorado Mammoth

Kroenke Sports launches regional sports network

February 9, 2004 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


Denver, Colo. – Kroenke Sports Enterprises – the parent company of the NBA Denver Nuggets, NHL Colorado Avalanche, NLL Colorado Mammoth, MLS Colorado Rapids, Pepsi Center arena and part owner of the AFL Colorado Crush – today announced the creation of a regional television network that will feature sports and entertainment. The announcement was made by Don Elliman, president of KSE, and David Ehrlich, executive vice president of KSE.

Based in Denver, the network – the name of which will be announced at a later date – will debut in September and will service numerous states in the Rocky Mountain West. The basic and/or expanded-basic cable and satellite channel will feature regional professional sports including the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Mammoth, as well as entertainment and community programming from Denver-area theatrical and performance venues such as the KSE-owned Paramount Theater and Universal Lending Pavilion.

Additionally, the network will feature regional college and high school sports, ancillary sports programming, as well as outdoor and lifestyle shows. Additional programming agreements and specifics will be announced at later dates.

The network has reached multi-year contractual telecast agreements with Denver-area professional sports teams that will allow a regular-season minimum of 65 Avalanche games, 65 Nuggets games, eight Mammoth games, as well as pre- and post-season contests to be televised on the network. Additionally, agreements for numerous other sports events, as well as live entertainment events, will allow the network to carry a total of more than 200 live sports and event programs in its inaugural year.

"The creation of this network allows us to service our fans, viewers and community as never before," Elliman said. "We now can present more compelling regional and local sports programming, as well as a variety of entertainment and non-sports programming. It is our goal to improve the overall sports and entertainment experience for fans throughout the region."

Negotiations for cable operator carriage and satellite (DBS) carriage of the network have commenced.

Furthermore, it was announced today that veteran cable television programming executive Jim Martin was named Chief Executive Officer of the network (see separate release). Other executive appointments also were announced (see separate release).

"Since KSE was formed, we have consistently expanded our operations in the Colorado region with the philosophy of leveraging our assets and better serving our constituents," stated Ehrlich. "This network is the next logical step in following that philosophy. We've assembled a talented group of executives to make the network a reality and to help vertically integrate our teams, venues, and now, media properties."

The KSE-owned network joins the growing trend of professional sports franchises and organizations that have created owned-and-operated regional sports and entertainment networks, or have taken a significant equity stake in a new regional sports and entertainment channel. Markets such as New York (Yankees Entertainment & Sports – YES; Yankees, Nets and Devils), Minnesota (Victory Sports; Twins), Chicago (Comcast SportsNet Chicago; Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox) and Houston (Houston Regional Sports Network; Astros and Rockets) have created or announced the creation of basic or expanded-basic regional sports and entertainment networks.

Commented Stan Kroenke, Chairman and Owner of KSE, "It has become clear that successful teams – on the playing surface and in the financial ledger – are those teams that retain greater control of their various media rights and opportunities. In many discussions with my executive team, we came to the conclusion that the creation of this network was paramount for KSE to continue to field championship-caliber teams for our fans."

An agreement has been reached with Crown Media for lease of a state-of-the-art broadcast/studio facility at its Greenwood Village location for both standard and high-definition telecasts, as well as for uplink facilities, transponder space and other administrative and technical aspects of building, launching and operating a regional sports network.

Concluded new CEO Martin: "We have a lot of work to do in a very short amount of time. With continued support and guidance from Stan, Don and David, we'll build a network that will become the gold standard, make KSE proud and – most importantly – have enormous appeal to fans, viewers, advertisers, and cable and satellite distributors."

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