or


[01/12/14 - 10:34 AM]
Mark Burnett and Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network Partner to Bring Action-Packed Lucha Libre Wrestling Events and New League to the U.S.
The business begins with a weekly one-hour series featuring a new lucha libre league, premiering on El Rey Network the second half of 2014.

[via press release from El Rey Network]

MARK BURNETT AND ROBERT RODRIGUEZ'S EL REY NETWORK PARTNER TO BRING ACTION-PACKED LUCHA LIBRE WRESTLING EVENTS AND NEW LEAGUE TO THE U.S.

Weekly Lucha Libre Series to Premiere on El Rey Network in 2014 as the Foundation of a New Sports Entertainment Business

Pasadena - January 12, 2014 - It was announced today that Emmy Award(R)-winning producer Mark Burnett has partnered with visionary film director Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network to create a new sports business in the U.S. featuring high-flying lucha libre wrestling.

The business begins with a weekly one-hour series featuring a new lucha libre league, premiering on El Rey Network the second half of 2014. Burnett's One Three Media is partnering with the leading lucha libre league in Mexico, Lucha Libre AAA, and FactoryMade Ventures. Also joining, through their interests in Lucha Libre AAA, are Antonio Cue Sanchez-Navarro and Latinoamerica's largest production group, Alex Garcia's AG Studios.

In Mexico, lucha libre is hugely successful, rating behind only soccer as the most popular sport on television. "Starting this business with a new television series on a cutting-edge network like El Rey is very exciting," Burnett said. "And it doesn't end there. Wrestling is a billion-dollar business in the U.S., and with partners like Robert Rodriguez, Lucha Libre AAA and the rest of our great team, our new lucha libre league will make that market even bigger."

Robert Rodriguez, El Rey Network's Founder and Chairman, said: "El Rey Network is all about the unexpected which is why this is the perfect partnership. Our association with Lucha Libre AAA, FactoryMade and Mark Burnett's One Three Media speaks to our commitment to create content that resonates for a culturally diverse generation - one that expects high impact and excitement from their entertainment programming."

In addition to launching the weekly series, the new venture is developing monthly and quarterly specials and live pay-per-view lucha libre events, and also pursuing merchandise, licensing and product integration opportunities for the league. Lucha libre marks a return to arena-based sports events for the award-winning Burnett, who previously produced five seasons of the unscripted boxing series "The Contender". Burnett and One Three are also widely known for programs like "The Voice," "Survivor" and the hit event miniseries "The Bible."

The venture has engaged Starlight Runner Entertainment, the NY-based production company, to leverage its transmedia expertise in building an exciting, multi-platform world of heroes, villains and spectacle. "My partner Mark Pensavalle and I have been fans of Lucha Libre since we were kids," said Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment. "The opportunity to help develop a heroic, fully participative transmedia world that innovates and extends AAA is a dream come true for us."

In addition to Burnett and One Three Media, El Rey Network's weekly series will also be executive produced by Rodriguez and by FactoryMade and El Rey co-founders John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa. One Three Media's chief operating officer Brian Edwards will join the venture's board with current board members Dorian Roldan from Lucha Libre AAA, Cue Sanchez-Navarro, and Fogelman and Patwa.

About One Three Media

ONE THREE MEDIA is a joint venture between Mark Burnett and Hearst Corporation which produces television, advertising and web content. Five-time Emmy(R) Award winner Mark Burnett has produced over 2,200 hours of television programming that regularly air in over 70 countries worldwide. Burnett and ONE THREE MEDIA's recent series include Survivor (CBS), The Voice (NBC), The Celebrity Apprentice (NBC), Shark Tank (ABC), The Bible (HISTORY), and Trust Me I'm A Game Show Host (TBS). Awards show franchises includes the MTV Movie Awards from 2007 to 2011, and the People's Choice Awards (CBS) since 2010.

About Lucha Libre AAA

Lucha Libre AAA is a media and entertainment company founded in 1992 by Antonio Pena Herrada and manages the IP of the "AAA" brand and another 250 characters in its league. The company produces Lucha Libre events globally including venues such as Palacio de los Deportes, Arena Monterrey, HP Pavilion, Madison Square Garden, Los Angeles Sports Arena and Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan. In addition to working with sponsors such as Corona, Hershey's, Comex and Holcim, the league has released an animated movie and videogame in the Mexican market. Lucha Libre AAA develops 5 hours of content per week that is aired on three television channels in Mexico: Galavision, Televisa Deportes Network and TVC Deportes.

About FactoryMade Ventures

FactoryMade is an incubator for entertainment businesses and was founded by John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa. The company builds IP-based franchises and production and distribution platforms by leveraging its strong ties to the Hollywood creative community and partnering with global brands and investors. Its ventures include El Rey Network and Tres Pistoleros Studios with Robert Rodriguez and a joint venture with the leading Mexican wrestling league Lucha Libre AAA. In addition to working with corporate partners such as Telefonica and JCP, they previously spearheaded the creation of Hasbro's film business (Transformers, G.I. Joe, Battleship) and television business (Hasbro TV Studios, the Hub Network with Discovery Communications), and developed retail's first integrated digital gaming and commerce platform with HSN (HSN Arcade).

About Starlight Runner Entertainment

Starlight Runner Entertainment, Inc. (http://www.starlightrunner.com) is the world's leading creator and producer of highly successful transmedia franchises, maximizing the value of intellectual properties by preparing them for extension across multiple media platforms. Starlight Runner works with Hollywood studios, video game developers and major brand owners to incubate, develop and produce rich story worlds that quickly reach blockbuster status. Founded in2000 by Jeff Gomez and Mark Pensavalle, the company's clients include Sony Entertainment (Men in Black 3), Coca-Cola (Happiness Factory), 20th Century Fox (James Cameron's Avatar), Microsoft (Halo), The Walt Disney Company (Pirates of the Caribbean, Tron Legacy), and Hasbro (Transformers). Starlight Runner is now developing and co-producing all-new intellectual properties designed to leverage all forms of digital and traditional media.

About El Rey Network

El Rey Network, launching December 2013, is a new 24-hour English-language network founded by maverick filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. Curated by Rodriguez and his artistic collective, the network will unite the most culturally diverse generation in history through fearless, badass and original content that awakens the renegade in everyone. The network's action-packed content is anchored by original signature dramas, feature films, grindhouse genre, cult classic action, horror/sci-fi and next-generation sports. El Rey Network LLC (www.elreynetwork.com) is jointly owned by Robert Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures with a minority stake held by Univision Communications Inc.





  [january 2014]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· LUCHA UNDERGROUND (EL REY)





[05/20/26 - 07:36 AM]
After Record-Setting 2025 Season, "Sunday Night Football" Finishes Fall-Spring TV Season as Primetime's No. 1 Show for Unprecedented 15th Consecutive Year
The series averaged 23.5 million viewers in 2025, marking the show's best-ever viewership - up nearly 1 million viewers from the prior record for the series set a decade ago (22.6 million in 2015 season) and an increase of 9% over the '24 season (21.6 million).

[05/20/26 - 07:23 AM]
Apple TV Announces Season Two Renewal for "Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars"
The eight-part second season follows the fates of elite chefs at some of the world's most unique and celebrated restaurants to determine if they will win, maintain or lose that precious Star.

[05/20/26 - 06:04 AM]
FOX Sports Presents All-Star Studio Team Anchoring FIFA World Cup 2026
From Thursday, June 11 through Sunday, July 19, FOX Sports will be America's official English-language home for FIFA World Cup 2026 presenting all 104 tournament matches live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming in 4K live and on-demand on FOX One.

[05/20/26 - 06:00 AM]
BTS to Make First Awards Show Appearance in Four Years at "The 52nd American Music Awards," Monday, May 25 at 8:00 PM, ET, 5:00 PM, PT on CBS
They have a chance to add to their trophy collection this year, with three nominations: Artist of the Year, Song of the Summer and Best Male K-Pop Artist.

[05/20/26 - 05:31 AM]
"One Hundred Years of Solitude" Concludes This August, With Part Two Premiering on the 5th and the Grand Finale on the 26th
Spanning the 50 years yet to be told, the second part dives deeper into the new generations of the Buendía family and the town's transformation, where progress ultimately gives way to decay - fulfilling the curse that seals its fate.

[05/20/26 - 05:01 AM]
Video: "Little Brother" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A tightly wound realtor's picture-perfect life gets an extreme makeover when his lovably chaotic "little brother" suddenly reappears.

[05/20/26 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Maternal Instinct" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Police pull over a woman who claims she just gave birth. But the baby - and the blood - aren't hers. Twisted lies unravel in this true-crime documentary.

[05/19/26 - 10:01 PM]
Beloved NHK Dramas to Stream on Netflix Worldwide Starting June 22
Netflix has long partnered with major Japanese broadcasters to bring Japanese drama to audiences in Japan and globally.

[05/19/26 - 07:00 PM]
"Survivor's" 16-Year Collaboration with Stand Up to Cancer Crosses the $2 Million Mark for Cancer Research
In honor of its landmark 50th season, Toyota will also make a $50,000 donation to SU2C during the live finale.

[05/19/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "Teach You a Lesson" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When respect collapses in schools, unconventional inspectors arrive to set things right - with sharp, no-nonsense lessons you won't find in textbooks.

[05/19/26 - 02:52 PM]
Subway Series Delivers Second Most-Watched FOX Saturday Baseball Telecast of the Season
2,500,000 viewers tuned-in to the two-game slate highlighted by the Mets' 6-3 victory over the Yankees in most of the country.

[05/19/26 - 02:01 PM]
Netflix Viewership Peaks with Nearly 17 Million Global Viewers for MVP MMA's Rousey vs. Carano, Averaging 12.4 Million Viewers Across the Triple Main Event
In the US, the triple-main card averaged 9.3 million viewers, peaking at 11.6 million viewers during Rousey vs. Carano.

[05/19/26 - 12:57 PM]
Meet the Best of Delphi Academy
Prime Video's series set in the "Creed" universe will star Benji Santiago, Juan Castrano, Demián Bichir, André Holland, Andre Royo, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Victoria Vourkoutiotis, and Wood Harris.

[05/19/26 - 12:31 PM]
Bravo's "Summer House" First-Ever Three-Part Reunion Begins Tuesday, May 26 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
Uncensored and extended versions of all three parts will be available to stream next day on Peacock.

[05/19/26 - 12:01 PM]
Video: Paramount+ Releases Official Trailer for "Devotion: Obedience or Betrayal"
All three episodes will be available to stream at launch on Tuesday, June 2.