Altitude Sports is shaking up the sound of Denver Nuggets basketball, cutting loose two of the franchise’s most familiar broadcast voices. Play-by-play caller Chris Marlowe and longtime color analyst Scott Hastings will not return to the TV booth next season, ending a pairing that many Nuggets fans have grown up listening to. Reporter Christopher Dempsey is also out, while other on-air fixtures are set to stay put.
According to The Denver Post, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment and Altitude decided to revamp their Nuggets coverage as part of a broader broadcast shuffle. The outlet reports that Vic Lombardi and Katy Winge are expected to remain on the television side, and that Hastings will continue co-hosting a sports-talk show on Altitude’s radio station. Multiple people familiar with the decisions told reporters that Dempsey was also let go.
Longtime Voices and What They Built
Marlowe has been a staple on Nuggets telecasts since 2004, serving as the team’s TV play-by-play voice for more than two decades. His career stretches well beyond the NBA, with Olympic broadcast work on his résumé and a gold medal from the 1984 U.S. men’s volleyball team, according to Rocky Mountain PBS. He was named Colorado Sportscaster of the Year for 2023 by the National Sports Media Association.
Hastings has been one of Denver’s most recognizable sports voices since wrapping up his playing career in the early 1990s. As noted in his biography on Altitude Sports, he has spent years moving between television analyst duties and radio hosting. His blunt, player-first style became a defining feature of Nuggets broadcasts, the kind of voice viewers could recognize before they even looked up from the couch.
How This Contrasts With Last Season’s Broadcast Plans
The timing of the overhaul is striking, given how recently Altitude leaned on this exact crew to sell stability. Last fall, Altitude and broadcast partner TEGNA rolled out a free over-the-air package of games and promoted it with the same familiar faces, specifically naming Marlowe, Hastings, Winge and Lombardi as “fan-favorite talent.” In its press release, TEGNA highlighted that the partnership is an extension of an already successful setup, which makes the sudden booth turnover stand out even more.
What’s Next for the Broadcast
With Marlowe and Hastings gone from Nuggets telecasts, Altitude now has to find a new play-by-play voice and recalibrate its on-air roles before next season tips off. The network’s talent directory still lists Vic Lombardi and Katy Winge as key Nuggets personalities, suggesting they could take on larger responsibilities while new hires are made; the current lineup appears on Altitude Sports. The network is expected to announce its revamped broadcast team in the coming weeks as it moves to fill the open spots.
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