El Rey Network (Spanish forThe King) is a media brand founded byRobert Rodriguez on December 15, 2013, that is currently owned in a joint venture withFactoryMade Ventures.
Until December 31, 2020, El Rey was a cable and satellite network, operated and distributed in-partnership with Univision Communications (now known asTelevisaUnivision), dedicated toexploitation-style programming targeting English-speakingHispanic audiences. By March 2015, approximately 40 million households received El Rey;[1][2] its carriage would fall to 13 million households by the time of the network's closure.[3]
El Rey Network was one of two ethnic outlets created as part of an agreement betweenComcast,NBC Universal, and theFCC as a condition for themerger between the former two broadcasters (the other network beingRevolt).[1]
The network's headquarters was inAustin, Texas, and launched as part of the digital basic service on some of Comcast's systems.[4][5] Comcast announced that the network was expected to debut by January 2014.[6] In August 2012, Antoinette Alfonso Zel was announced as CEO.[7] In May 2013, Univision Communications (now known asTelevisaUnivision USA) announced that it would be an investor for El Rey, handling the sales and distribution of the network.[8][9]
Between 2018 and 2020, various cable and satellite providers began dropping the network. On November 6, 2020, Univision announced it had sold its stake in El Rey, as part of a larger effort by the company to refocus on its core Spanish-language businesses.[22][23] Soon after, it would be reported that El Rey would cease operations on December 31, though it was speculated that the network would relaunch as a streaming brand.[24] The network went dark at 11:59 p.m.Pacific.[25]
On August 6, 2021, El Rey Network announced a partnership withCinedigm that would see the network relaunch as aFAST channel. As part of this agreement, Cinedigm will exclusively distribute Rodriguez's 2019 film,Red 11, and a companion docuseries titledRebel Without a Crew: The Robert Rodriguez Film School.[26][27][28] El Rey would relaunch later that month viaThe Roku Channel on August 17.[29]
By 2024,Fuse Media would partner with El Rey to launch the "El Rey Rebel" FAST channel; which would air the network's original content, and carrycombat sports programming as part Fuse's partnerships withGolden Boy Promotions andCombate Global.[30][31] In June 2024, El Rey Rebel would begin distribution onDirecTV.[32]
^Negley, Erin (April 6, 2015)."Making the Cut".LNP. Vol. 220, no. 292. Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Steinman Communications.Archived from the original on January 29, 2020. RetrievedJanuary 29, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
^Starace, Alex (Winter 2017)."Animation Creation: Octopie Network Spreads its Tentacles".International Opulence Magazine. Fort Lauderdale, Florida: Horizon Publishing. p. 99. RetrievedJanuary 24, 2020. Note: Scroll down the target page to the digital magazine for Winter 2017/2018 and access page 99.
