KCKK
Encyclopedia
KCKK is an American sports-talk broadcast
radio station
licensed in Littleton, Colorado
, and serving the Denver
/Boulder
/Fort Collins
area. KCKK is owned by NRC Broadcasting and operated by Mile High Sports under a local marketing agreement.
The KCKK callsign and country music
format started out at 104.3 FM when Jefferson-Pilot (JP) acquired the signal. Eventually, JP did away with the staff at KYGO
1600 AM and started simulcasting KCKK programming at 1600 AM. When JP pulled the plug on KCKK at 104.3 FM, in favor of a smooth jazz
format, KCKK moved exclusively to 1600 AM. KCKK 1600's last day came in mid-December 2006 when Lincoln Financial Media
(which purchased Jefferson Pilot) announced that the signal at 1600 AM would be flipped to become Denver's new ESPN Radio
affiliate, KEPN. Then, 1510 AM, which was airing an oldies format, took the KCKK callsign and became classic country as "Real Country".
In late July 2007, 1510 AM flipped to an all-sports format, operated by Mile High Sports, a multimedia sports-marketing and publishing company based in Denver. The station features network programming from Sporting News Radio and a lineup of local hosts. The sports talk format was briefly suspended and KCKK returned to "Real Country". According to 100000watts.com, the change was due to the expiration of a local marketing agreement
. The "Mile High Sports" format remained on former sister station KSXT-AM 1570 AM in Loveland, Colorado
as of August 21, 2007 and returned again to 1510 AM ten days later, on August 31.
On July 31, 2008 "Mile High Sports Radio" was announced as the new radio flagship for the Denver Nuggets
basketball team, Colorado Avalanche
hockey team, Colorado Mammoth
, and Colorado Rapids
. The station also broadcasts the football and basketball programs
at the Air Force Academy
and syndicated National Football League
games through the Sports USA Radio Network
. In 2008, it broadcast most games of the Mountain West Conference men's basketball tournament. In June 2009, the station renewed its partnership with Kroenke Sports and Entertainment to remain the flagship station of the Nuggets, Avalanche, and Rapids.
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed in Littleton, Colorado
Littleton, Colorado
Littleton is a Home Rule Municipality contained in Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. Littleton is a suburb of the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Statistical Area. Littleton is the county seat of Arapahoe County and the 20th most populous city in the state of...
, and serving the Denver
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
/Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
/Fort Collins
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
area. KCKK is owned by NRC Broadcasting and operated by Mile High Sports under a local marketing agreement.
History
Radio station 1510 AM first signed on on August 22, 1957, as KMOR in Littleton. Owned by Bob Rubin from 1960–65 and operated from above the theater at the Woodlawn Shopping Center, the format was country & western music. Years later, the station operated as KDKO Radio, was known as "Denver's Soul Radio" due to its rhythm & blues format, and broadcast from studios on Santa Fe Road, just south of County Line Road.The KCKK callsign and country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format started out at 104.3 FM when Jefferson-Pilot (JP) acquired the signal. Eventually, JP did away with the staff at KYGO
KEPN
KEPN, 1600AM, is an all-sports radio station licensed to Lakewood, Colorado and serving the Denver, Colorado area. On January 1, 2007, it became the local affiliate of ESPN Radio for the Denver area and the "Front Range." It is owned by Lincoln Financial Media.Before that date, it was "16Kicks"...
1600 AM and started simulcasting KCKK programming at 1600 AM. When JP pulled the plug on KCKK at 104.3 FM, in favor of a smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
format, KCKK moved exclusively to 1600 AM. KCKK 1600's last day came in mid-December 2006 when Lincoln Financial Media
Lincoln Financial Media
Lincoln Financial Media is a subsidiary of Lincoln National Corporation that owns radio stations in the United States.-History:In April 2006, Lincoln Financial acquired Jefferson-Pilot's television and radio operations, which were renamed Lincoln Financial Media. The group owns 14 radio stations in...
(which purchased Jefferson Pilot) announced that the signal at 1600 AM would be flipped to become Denver's new ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
affiliate, KEPN. Then, 1510 AM, which was airing an oldies format, took the KCKK callsign and became classic country as "Real Country".
In late July 2007, 1510 AM flipped to an all-sports format, operated by Mile High Sports, a multimedia sports-marketing and publishing company based in Denver. The station features network programming from Sporting News Radio and a lineup of local hosts. The sports talk format was briefly suspended and KCKK returned to "Real Country". According to 100000watts.com, the change was due to the expiration of a local marketing agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
. The "Mile High Sports" format remained on former sister station KSXT-AM 1570 AM in Loveland, Colorado
Loveland, Colorado
Loveland is a Home Rule Municipality that is the second most populous city in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Loveland is situated north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. Loveland is the 14th most populous city in Colorado. The United States Census Bureau that in 2010 the...
as of August 21, 2007 and returned again to 1510 AM ten days later, on August 31.
On July 31, 2008 "Mile High Sports Radio" was announced as the new radio flagship for the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
basketball team, Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
hockey team, Colorado Mammoth
Colorado Mammoth
The Colorado Mammoth are a member of the National Lacrosse League. They have played at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, United States, since the 2003 season....
, and Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
. The station also broadcasts the football and basketball programs
Air Force Falcons
The Air Force Falcons are the collegiate athletic teams that represent the United States Air Force Academy, near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The intercollegiate program has 17 men's and 10 women's NCAA-sanctioned teams...
at the Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
and syndicated National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
games through the Sports USA Radio Network
Sports USA Radio Network
The Sports USA Radio Network is the largest independent nationwide sports broadcasting radio network, specializing in live broadcasts of American football, specifically of the NCAA football Division I-A and National Football League...
. In 2008, it broadcast most games of the Mountain West Conference men's basketball tournament. In June 2009, the station renewed its partnership with Kroenke Sports and Entertainment to remain the flagship station of the Nuggets, Avalanche, and Rapids.