EchoStar founder and chairman Charlie Ergen will take over as president and CEO of EchoStar Corp., putting him in charge of the operations of the pay television and wireless business units. Former EchoStar CEO Hamid Akhavan will head up the new investment arm.

“This is an opportune moment in time for our business to go on the offense as we build upon our 45-year institutional heritage and forge a new path forward for creating and developing opportunities in our strategic expertise domains that will provide attractive value creation for EchoStar and its shareholders,” Akhavan .

The third quarter was a huge one in terms of redefining the company and its future. AT&T agreed to pay $22.65 billion in cash and SpaceX agreed to pay $19 billion for wireless spectrum that the Douglas County company had acquired over the years.

EchoStar had intended to deploy the spectrum to build out its Boost Mobile wireless network and private 5G networks for commercial customers. But the company wasn’t moving fast enough for the Federal Communications Commission, which had put pressure on it to use its spectrum or sell it. EchoStar agreed to to carry most of its wireless traffic going forward.

Although the choicest slices of spectrum have been claimed, the company announced on Thursday that it had reached an agreement to sell additional AWS-3 wireless spectrum to SpaceX for $2.6 billion worth of its shares.

A portion of the spectrum sale proceeds will go to pay down debt, but increasingly it is looking like the company will invest most of it to create future earnings for shareholders, who have seen a more than doubling in the company’s share price this year. EchoStar is one of the top-performing stocks this year, not including AI-related companies.

EchoStar reported $38.2 billion in liabilities at the end of the third quarter, down from $40.7 billion at the end of last year. Analysts said the company is now in a “net cash” position, meaning it has more cash and other liquid assets than it has debt.

That said, the company continues to struggle with declining subscriptions in DISH TV, its core satellite television business, which has lost 12.2% of its customer base over the past year. Sling TV, the over-the-internet alternative, fared better, gaining 159,900 subscribers, bringing the total number of pay television subscribers to 7.17 million.

The wireless side, consisting mostly of Boost Mobile, continued to grow, adding 223,000 new customers in the third quarter and generating $939 million in revenues. Boost Mobile is now larger than the pay-TV side with 7.52 million subscribers, although the monthly bill each subscriber is paying is smaller.

EchoStar took a $16.5 billion one-time charge to account for the impaired value on the portions of its 5G network that it won’t be using as a result of the agreement reached with AT&T. That noncash write-off contributed to a $12.8 billion loss in the third quarter, which compares to a $141.8 million loss in the third quarter of 2024.

Compounding matters, the Federal Communications Commission under the Trump administration has pressured the company to deploy its large and valuable stash of wireless spectrum licenses, built carefully over multiple years, in a case of use it or lose it.

And it didn’t help when a deal to sell the Dish Network to rival DirecTV, an AT&T subsidiary at the time, for the assumption of $9.8 billion in debt plus the payment of $1 fell apart in late November after bondholders balked at the $1.6 billion discount that would be required of them.

AT&T came to EchoStar’s rescue once again on Tuesday, offering to pay $23 billion in cash to purchase a third of the company’s wireless licenses — located in the 3.45 GHz and 600 MHz range and representing a total of 50 MHz of nationwide spectrum.

That spectrum, however, was something EchoStar needed to build out its Boost Mobile wireless network, which was designed to be a competitor to AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Boost Mobile will now rely on AT&T’s wireless towers rather than its own radio network, making it a hybrid Mobile Network Operator (MNO) rather than an independent wireless carrier.

“EchoStar and Boost Mobile have met all of the FCC’s network buildout milestones. However, this spectrum sale to AT&T and hybrid MNO agreement are critical steps toward resolving the FCC’s spectrum utilization concerns,” said EchoStar chairman Charlie Ergen in a release.

EchoStar remained steadfast in its belief that it could use its wireless licenses, accumulated over multiple years, to build a wireless business, but it has mostly failed to do so, tying up capital and leaving its finances in “tatters,” said Michael Hodel, a , in a research note Tuesday.

“However, the decision to sell licenses to AT&T quickly realizes value for shareholders, dramatically reduces balance sheet risk, and opens a new chapter in EchoStar’s development,” said Hodel, who called the move a “step in the right direction.”

Investors breathed a huge sigh of relief, pushing shares of EchoStar from just under $30 to above $55, before the price settled back down to $50.87 at the end of trading. The final gain was 70.25% and the stock, which dipped below $15 a share in June, is now at levels last seen in early 2018.

Even more important, the company’s bonds, which were deeply discounted to allow for a possible default, rebounded strongly as well. Fears of a default have diminished, and the company has bought itself more time.

“This transaction puts our business on a solid financial path, further facilitating EchoStar’s long-term success, and enhancing our ability to innovate and compete as a hybrid network operator. The proceeds of this transaction will be used for, among other things, retiring certain debt obligations and funding EchoStar’s continued operations and growth initiatives,” said Hamid Akhavan, EchoStar CEO and president in a release.

Potential Boost Mobile subscribers who wanted to try the company’s state-of-the-art network but feared coverage gaps or a financial collapse will have more certainty. But they likely won’t get all the bells and whistles that Boost Mobile had hoped to provide as part of a larger deal that paved the way for T-Mobile to acquire Sprint.

“EchoStar’s move from being the 4th independent network operator to a hybrid MNO effectively ends the government’s post-Sprint merger mandate to create a new national competitor. It’ll be up to the cable MSOs (multiple system operators) like Comcast and Charter to take up the mantle as the challengers to the Big Three in the market,” said Roy Chua, founder of AVIDThink, a research and advisory firm specializing in telecom infrastructure technologies.

Chua said the AT&T agreement provides a much-needed cash infusion and gets the FCC off the company’s back. But it marks a setback for market diversity and innovation in Open RAN, a newer and more flexible wireless technology that Boost Mobile was deploying.

“It’s possible that the additional spectrum provides AT&T with enhanced capacity to deploy its Open RAN strategy. However, the large ecosystem of vendors that Boost/DISH had brought together to build its nationwide cloud-native multi-vendor Open RAN network will lose a lighthouse customer,” Chua said.

Some of the Boost partner vendors who could be left out in the cold include Samsung, Mavenir, AWS, VMware/Broadcom, Dell and Cisco.

AT&T has been spending heavily to build out its fiber-to-the-home network and improve 5G wireless access for customers. The company reached an agreement in May with Lumen Technologies, the successor of Qwest Communications International and owner of CenturyLink, to purchase Lumen’s Quantum Fiber business for $5.75 billion in cash.

“This acquisition bolsters and expands our spectrum portfolio while enhancing customers’ 5G wireless and home internet experience in even more markets,” AT&T CEO John Stankey said in a release. ”We’re adding fuel to our winning strategy of investing in valuable wireless and broadband assets to become America’s best connectivity provider.”

Ergen’s willingness to sell off wireless spectrum licenses has raised speculation that other deals may be coming, according to .

T-Mobile, which was also believed to have been interested in EchoStar’s licenses, may pick up the pieces it considers useful that AT&T didn’t claim. And Elon Musk’s Starlink reportedly wants its mid-band and S-band spectrum that could work with a low-Earth orbit satellite network and in connecting devices to the internet.

Starlink has complained to the FCC that EchoStar’s spectrum was “chronically underused.” Analysts estimate the spectrum it wants could be worth around $30 billion, according to Semafor.

“This past year marked the beginning of a transformation for Echostar,” Hamid Akhavan, the company’s president and CEO, told analysts on a call.

The company’s stock, ticker SATS, is up 32.8% this year, including a 4.8% gain on Thursday following the earnings report. That contrasts with a 1.9% decline in the larger Nasdaq Composite this year.

EchoStar reported revenues of $15.8 billion last year, down from $17 billion in 2023, a decline linked mostly to pay television subscribers continuing to jump ship. But the revenue decline was in line with analysts’ expectations, and the company’s wireless operations, represented by Boost Mobile, appear to be gaining some momentum.

The company outperformed expectations on its bottom line, reporting net income of $335 million in the fourth quarter compared to a $2 billion loss in the same period of 2023. For the whole year, the company lost $119.5 million in 2024, a lot less than the $1.7 billion loss recorded in 2023. Helping out was a noncash gain of $689 million related to a debt exchange offer that freed the company of some looming debt payments it wasn’t in a position to make.

Dish continues to lose paid television subscribers, dropping 253,000 in the fourth quarter and ending the year with 5.69 million Dish TV subscribers and 2.09 million Sling TV subscribers. However, the company saw fewer disconnects last year than in prior years and executives said the company is attracting a higher-quality customer.

The number of wireless customers at Boost Mobile is on the upswing, with 105,000 added in the fourth quarter, bringing the total to nearly 7 million. Boost Mobile is seeing less churn or turnover and more customers are coming directly onto the company’s network, a trend accelerated by having more compatible devices to offer, said John Swieringa, the company’s chief operating officer.

The company is on track to meet extended Federal Communications Commission deadlines for building out its wireless network, which uses state-of-the-art technology that is software-focused and more flexible than the hardware-focused networks of rivals, Swieringa said.

After restructuring its debt and raising new capital, the company has a $5.7 billion war chest to help it reach the coverage targets the FCC has set. And the company is working to integrate more artificial intelligence features and provide more video services from the Dish and Sling slide to its wireless customers, executives said.

Akhavan also highlighted that the Boost Mobile network was recognized as the top cellular network in New York City, an accolade the company is working to repeat in other large cities.

The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.

The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it .

DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner, Englewood-based EchoStar, in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.

“While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV’s balance sheet and our operational flexibility,” DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.

The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.

The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.

DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer services.

AT&T purchased DirectTV for . But in 2021, following the loss of millions of customers, AT&T sold a to private equity firm TPG for $16.25 billion.

The termination of the deal doesn’t impact TPG’s acquisition of the remaining 70% stake in DirecTV from AT&T for about $7.6 billion, which is expected to close next year.

On Sept. 30, DirecTV announced it would pay $1 and assume $9.75 billion in Echostar debt to acquire the Dish Network. The deal offered EchoStar a way to unload a good chunk of its liabilities while also exiting a shrinking business. It provided DirecTV with a way to gain more customers and enough scale to strike better deals with content providers, boosting its chance of long-term survival.

The deal, however, hinged on EchoStar bondholders accepting a $1.57 billion discount on the face value of their debt. Feeling that unfair terms were being forced on them, many have refused the haircut, throwing everything into doubt.

DirecTV said it would rescind its purchase offer if the bondholders don’t come around, a move that could limit EchoStar’s financial options going forward.

“A successful exchange was a condition for acquiring the Dish video business,” DirecTV said in a statement Wednesday. “Given the outcome of the EchoStar exchange, DirecTV will have no choice but to terminate the acquisition of Dish by midnight Nov. 22.”

A failure to sell Dish would complicate EchoStar’s plans to pour more capital into the development of its 5G network, which it needs to complete so it isn’t as dependent on the AT&T and T-Mobile cellular networks. The more customers Boost — Echostar’s wireless brand — can keep inhouse, the lower its operating costs, which in turn frees up more cash to cover debt payments. About half of new wireless subscribers are signing on directly to the Boost network, but that share needs to grow.

Executives with the Englewood-based company told analysts that a series of recent financial moves, including raising $5.2 billion in fresh capital using its wireless spectrum as collateral, will allow them to go forward whether the television business is sold or retained.

“First of all, I want to say that, if the exchange does not close successfully, we’ll continue to operate our business. Our Dish business has been a business that is the primary business of this institution, and we continue to operate it as we have always had,” Hamid Akhavan, president and CEO of Echostar, told security analysts on an earnings call Tuesday.

Paul Orban, the company’s chief financial officer, that EchoStar has enough money on hand to meet its upcoming debt payment.

“We ended the third quarter with over $2.7 billion of cash and marketable securities, including our restricted cash. We will fund the $2 billion of debt return this week from this restricted cash,” Orban said.

EchoStar shares, which closed at $26.13 on Monday, were at $21.99 on Thursday, a sign that investors weren’t pleased with the sale falling apart — although the earnings report could have played into the decline.

For now, EchoStar remains a “going concern,” which should have the 7,000 workers in metro Denver, half of its workforce of around 14,000 people, breathing easier. Of that Denver-area total, 2,400 are dedicated to wireless services, with most of the remainder in the satellite television side and a streaming service called Sling TV. The pay television side lost 43,000 subscribers in the third quarter, while Sling TV gained 145,000.

MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett, in a , argued that heavy debt and inadequate capital have forced EchoStar to mortgage its long-term future.

Boost Mobile, the consumer side of EchoStar’s cellular business, was supposed to serve as a stepping stone to the more lucrative commercial side of providing private 5G services to commercial customers.

Spending on the build-out of the company’s cutting-edge network is expected to run at only half of what it was last year. And while the , that also pushes out the timeframe for generating additional revenues.

“They have slashed the operating expenses associated with their wireless build by round after round of headcount reductions,” Moffett said. “Still, their 5G network build is burning through cash rapidly.”

Long-time rival DirecTV on Monday said it will pay $1 and assume $9.75 billion in EchoStar debt to acquire Dish Network and its Sling TV streaming service. That amount represents under half the $21.3 billion in net debt EchoStar holds and will ease the pressures tied to a $2 billion payment that was coming due in mid-November.

While not a clean slate, the debt reduction, combined with funds the company has on hand or plans to raise, will provide Boost Mobile more time to win over consumers and establish itself as the nation’s fourth wireless provider.

“They have been saying we are an asset-rich but liquidity-poor company. We have many opportunities to grow and develop, but we didn’t have enough cash to develop them,” EchoStar CEO and president Hamid Akhavan said in an interview with The Denver Post on Monday afternoon.

EchoStar has found a way to feed its wireless growth plans, where most of its assets — wireless spectrum — are concentrated and where it sees the most potential, while also providing the legacy satellite and streaming side of the business, which have seen steady losses in subscribers, a better chance to survive, he said.

As a condition of the sale, EchoStar must raise $5.1 billion from investors for its wireless operations.

“Depending on how we deploy the money, two to three years of runway is in front of us,” Akhavan said.

For DirecTV, the combination should provide it with the scale it needs to strike more favorable terms with content providers, he said.

EchoStar employs about 7,000 people in metro Denver, half of its overall workforce of around 14,000. Of that Denver-area total, 2,400 are dedicated to wireless services, which could see a higher headcount over time if marketing efforts prove successful.

The fate of the 4,600 local satellite and streaming television employees will be in the hands of DirecTV after the deal goes through late next year. Akhavan said he doesn’t anticipate the combination will result in significant layoffs.

He notes that the customer service centers for the wireless and television sides had separate training programs and staffing. Boost Mobile won’t need to build up a separate program from scratch.

Sling, the streaming service, provides a service that DirecTV lacks and will likely be shielded from cuts. And working out better content deals should relieve some of the financial pressure on the satellite television side.

A combination should also eliminate costly churn, or consumers bouncing back and forth between Dish Network and DirectTV to win a better deal. That ran about 15% a year. On the downside, the boxes that each company uses to decode signals aren’t compatible with each other’s satellites.

EchoStar isn’t the only one divesting itself from the satellite television business. AT&T said on Monday that it would sell its 70% ownership stake in DirecTV to investment firm and co-owner TPG for $7.6 billion in cash payments spread out over five years. AT&T had paid $67.1 billion, including nearly $19 billion in debt, for DirecTV in 2014.

AT&T, once the biggest provider of paid television services, will walk away with a fraction of what it initially paid, a reflection of how badly streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have chipped away at the subscriber bases of satellite and cable providers.

MoffettNathanson, a telecom firm headed by analyst Craig Moffett, estimates that cable and satellite television providers lost 1.6 million subscribers in the second quarter alone. Dish Network and DirecTV have lost 5.48 million since the second quarter of 2022, with Dish shedding customers at a 12% rate and DirecTV at a 19% pace.

In the second quarter, DISH Network lost 104,000 paid subscribers. While that was an improvement from the 294,000 subscribers lost a year earlier in the second quarter, it contributed to a net loss for EchoStar.

The company’s mounting financial problems contributed to dire warnings of a potential bankruptcy filing from Moffett, who in May predicted EchoStar would have to .

Moffett, in a research note over the weekend, remained skeptical.

“It would be a mistake to overestimate (the deal’s) importance,” he said. “Adding a year or so to the expected life of satellite TV isn’t going to change the narrative for programmers, distributors, or even for satellite TV.”

Morningstar said the new capital and deal removes EchoStar’s near-term bankruptcy risk, but that “uncertain remains very high.”

Shares of EchoStar, which surged 10% on Friday on rumors of a deal, fell 11.5% to close at $24.82 on Monday.

Akhavan said EchoStar has represented a mixed play to investors, with a long-standing cash flow business alongside a growth story represented in its 5G wireless business, which deploys newer technologies that will allow it to operate more nimbly and at a lower cost than its rivals.

By focusing solely on the growth side of the business, the company can send a clearer message about what it represents.

On Sept. 20, the n on the timeline for building out its 5G network. Boost Mobile expects to cover 80% of the U.S. population with its own network, which has concentrated on more populated areas, by the end of 2024. That is up from 70% in 2023.

To convince consumers to give it a try, Boost Mobile is offering a year of free cellular service with the purchase of a phone. For those who wish to lock in a price, new customers signing up can receive a lifetime guarantee price set at $25 a month.

As the state’s largest technology employer, EchoStar’s survival and the future viability of Boost Mobile have major ramifications for the area economy and Akhavan said the company will remain fully rooted here.

“Our commitment to Denver is very strong,” he said.

DirecTV said Monday that it will acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner, Englewood-headquartered EchoStar, in a debt exchange transaction that includes a payment of $1, plus the assumption of debt.

The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, with headlines about popping up over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission their owners’ then-$18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.

The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming giants, demand for more traditional satellite continues to shrink. And, although high-profile acquisitions have proven to be particularly tough under the Biden-Harris administration, that may make regulators more inclined to approve DirecTV and Dish’s pairing this time around.

DirecTV said Monday that the transaction will help it bring smaller content packages to consumer at lower prices. It����ap hoping this will appeal to those who have left satellite video services for streaming. The company said that combined, DirecTV and Dish have collectively lost 63% of their satellite customers since 2016.

“DirecTV operates in a highly competitive video distribution industry,” DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement. “With greater scale, we expect a combined DirecTV and Dish will be better able to work with programmers to realize our vision for the future of tv, which is to aggregate, curate, and distribute content tailored to customers’ interests, and to be better positioned to realize operating efficiencies while creating value for customers through additional investment.”

The current deal could provide a key lifeline for EchoStar. The Colorado-based telecommunications company has reportedly faced the prospect of bankruptcy as it continues to burn through cash and see losses pile up.

In a recent securities , EchoStar disclosed that it had just $521 million in “cash on hand.” And the company forecast negative cash flows for the remainder of the year — while also pointing to major looming debt payments, with more than $1.98 billion of debt set to mature in November.

“With an improved financial profile, we will be better positioned to continue enhancing and deploying our nationwide 5G Open RAN wireless network,” EchoStar President and CEO Hamid Akhavan said. “This will provide U.S. wireless consumers with more choices and help to drive innovation at a faster pace.”

EchoStar’s stock climbed nearly 3% before the market open.

The DirecTV and Dish deal is targeted to close in 2025’s fourth quarter. The combined company will be based in El Segundo, California.

Shortly before DirecTV made its announcement, AT&T said it was to private equity firm TPG in a deal valued at about $7.6 billion.

The head football coach of the University of Colorado Buffaloes to promote the cellular service owned by DISH Wireless, based in Littleton. Some of the earliest customers claiming the phone might even see his number pop up for a quick call.

Starting April 19, Boost Mobile will offer an exclusive Coach Prime-branded Motorola razr phone both online and at its stores. The flip phone has a gold and black finish with his signature below his motivational phrase — “You Gotta Believe!”

Customers can buy the limited-edition phone, normally at $599.99, for $149.99 at BoostMobile.com. Or if they sign up in person for Boost Mobile’s Plan 2, the cost of the phone is covered in a plan costing $60 a month.

Boost Mobile customers who obtain the phone will also receive weekly motivational messages from Coach Prime and exclusive digital content. And some of those who sign up in the first month may receive a call from Sanders.

“I’m all about connectivity and baby, we got that! It����ap been a blessing to spend the past couple of months getting to know this wonderful team. Learning what they’ve achieved, what they believe, and most importantly how they aspire to continue to push the envelope,” Sanders said in a news release announcing the partnership.

DISH deployed its large holdings of wireless spectrum and the latest cellular technology to construct a new nationwide 5G network from scratch following the merger of T-Mobile and Sprint.

But like the Buffs before the arrival of Coach Prime, the company has struggled with obtaining enough of a fan base, not to mention financing, to see the vision through. The company, better known for its satellite television service, is in dire need of a turnaround.

“I grew up watching Deion in Atlanta and am beyond thrilled to have Coach Prime on our team,” said Sean Lee, a senior vice president of consumer product and marketing at Boost Mobile, in the release. “Coach Prime is a proven leader who works hard, knows what it takes to win and is a strong community advocate.”

Sanders will be featured heavily in Boost Mobile’s advertising, marketing and social media campaigns and is heading up “Boost the Block,” which will include initiatives at fostering connections in local communities.

Will fans be able to watch games via traditional cable?: The Rockies continue to say that negotiations are ongoing to find a way for fans to watch games on systems like Comcast, Dish Network or DirectTV. I was originally told that a deal would hopefully be worked out before the regular season begins. However, there are no guarantees that’s going to happen, leaving some fans in limbo.

Will fans pay to stream games via Rockies.TV?: That’s the multimillion-dollar question facing owner Dick Monfort. The club launched its online streaming service last month. Rockies.TV will show all Rockies games this season, with Major League Baseball producing and distributing the games.

MLB will also remove blackouts for fans, meaning that for the first time, fans in the Rockies’ traditional TV territory can live stream all of the club’s games. To stream Rockies games only, the cost will be $19.99 per month or $99.99 for the season.

Streaming all sports, not just baseball, is the wave of the future. But several disgruntled fans have told me they won’t pay $19.99 monthly to watch a team that lost 103 games last season. I’m not sure I believe many of them. Baseball is part of the fabric of summer, and I think fans would miss tuning in to the local team more than they realize.

Still, it’s going to be a hard sell. Two years ago, the Rockies drew an average of just 15,000 household viewers per game via traditional TV, according to Forbes and Nielsen Media. Only the Miami Marlins and Oakland Athletics had worse ratings.

Will attendance tumble at Coors Field?: A little bit, but I don’t see a giant slide. Last season, the Rockies averaged 32,196 fans per game at Coors Field, down only slightly from the 32,467 average from 2022. Even if the Rockies stumble early — a distinct possibility — they have the Red Sox coming into town for three games after the All-Star Game and they end the season with the Cardinals and Dodgers coming to LoDo for what could be meaningful games for the visitors.

Which Rockies will make the All-Star Game?: We know every team sends at least one player to the Midsummer Classic, but I’ll give you three Rockies who could end up at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on July 16.

Topping my list is left fielder Nolan Jones, a terrific athlete who has a chance to be an impactful power hitter. On deck is second baseman Brendan Rodgers. He’s had an excellent spring, and his confidence is sky-high.

My wild-card choice is veteran lefty Kyle Freeland. Manager Bud Black said recently that he’s never seen Freeland pitch better. That’s saying something, considering that Freeland went 17-7 with a 2.85 ERA over 33 starts in 2018.

Will the “real” Kris Bryant finally show up?: I want to say yes because he’s very well-liked by his teammates and he’s a class act. He’s got a beautiful swing and is a graceful athlete. But I don’t know what KB has left at age 32 following two years of injuries that limited him to 122 games in a Rockies uniform.

If he stays healthy and plays 145-150 games, I could envision him hitting .280 with 20 homers and 80 RBIs. But he’s never going to hit .292 with 39 homers and 102 RBIs as he did in 2016 when he was named National League MVP and helped lead the Cubs to their first World Series title since 1908.

Which top prospect will get called up and have the biggest impact this season? Things can change quickly because of injuries, trades, etc. Plus, the Rockies’ youth movement is in full bloom, so expect roster movement in the second half of the season. But the pick here is power-hitting outfielder Jordan Beck.

Beck had a terrific spring before being sent down to minor-league camp. He’s athletic, strong, and has a sweet swing. Like many of the Rockies’ young players, the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder needs to reduce his K’s.

“There’s a self-assurance of his ability,” Rockies manager Bud Black said recently. “I like the strength of his swing. There’s power in there. He can run. Defensively, he’s done fine.”

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Conx Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, said in a March 11 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it is set to pay $26.75 million to buy the 5701 S. Santa Fe Drive property from EchoStar Corp.

EchoStar acquired Dish at the end of last year. The two had previously been part of the same company.

The sale of the Littleton property is expected to close in the second quarter, per the filing. Either party can cancel the deal if it doesn’t close by May 15.

EchoStar has agreed to lease back the property for 10 years, initially paying $228,500 a month, per the filing. That amount will increase 2 percent annually and the lease will include two five-year renewal options.

Dish Network lists its headquarters in filings as 9601 S. Meridian Blvd. in Douglas County. The Littleton property is considered the headquarters of Dish Wireless, according to Conx.

Conx Corp. was founded in 2020 by billionaire Charlie Ergen as a blank-check public company designed to make acquisitions in the telecommunications industry. Ergen, who Forbes estimates is worth $1.2 billion, also founded Dish Network and EchoStar, and is chairman of both companies.

The Littleton property consists of about 25 acres just west of downtown Littleton, according to property records.

Dish Network has been cutting staff locally for months. Since November, the company has informed the state labor department of about 715 layoffs. The most recent notification came last week, when the company said five of its attorneys will be let go — one senior corporate counsel, one corporate counsel and three associate corporate counsels.

This story was reported by our partner .