AAA held a press conference yesterday in Salon Iturbide at Centro Banamex to hype up the matches next Saturday’s show. Not too big of a surprise that some of the more interesting news to come out of it was about stuff around the show. There’s already decent coverage of the show, with probably a lot more coming in the next ten days. If you want one really good place for a run down of what was talked about, LuchandoLibre is easily the best.
For all of us who follow AAA from outside Mexico, the biggest news has to be that we won’t be able to see the show (legally, anyway.) Like last year, TripleMania will be on PPV. Unlike last year, TripleMania will NOT be shown on weekly TV after the fact. They’re planning to sell the show a special DVD after (most of their DVDs have been 5 hours cut down to 2h30m, so I think that’s what they mean by special) but it’s either that or the PPV. Even on the PPV, you will not get all the matches; the show will start at 8:30, and the PPV at 9, so the opener (Fuerza Aerea/Clowns, officially) and maybe more will only be for the live crowd.
This explains why they scheduled the Ecatepec and Orizaba tapings so soon after TripleMania; they’ll have to post-produce the first of those in four days to get in on air that week, since TripleMania won’t air. There is a note that, sometime later, TripleMania will be shown on AAA’s website. They did something similar last year, but it was behind Televisa’s Mexico-only wall and don’t remember hearing much about people actually using it.
This is a good place to note that I plan on running live coverage next Saturday on the website, including another chat. Last year, we were able to find video of the show as it was going. Can’t promise it’ll be the same this year, but wouldn’t be surprised.
There was plenty of other news about the usual stories:
Dr. Wagner Jr. actual contract status with AAA is murky. Both Wagner and AAA say he’s close to actually signing, where he’d still be running WagnerMania shows but with AAA wrestlers, but he has NOT actually signed. This seems bizarre; if Wagner has not actually signed, there’s nothing stopping him from reaching a deal with CMLL right this moment (or the Friday before TripleMania) and returning there. Either AAA believes CMLL is now so done with Wagner that they wouldn’t make such an offer, or this contract drama is now a work on some level to add something to the title match.
AAA believes the DF Commission has no authority to ban Jack or Konnan: Joaquin Roldan says to Record that Fantasma has no training or power to actually do the things he’s talked about doing, and just wants to get his name in the newspapers. Related: Cesar notes Fantasma takes actions against CMLL all the time, they’re just not talked about as much. Didn’t know Stuka got in trouble for kicking Mima, thought Rey/Ephesto being stopped was more about the angle than the commission (but have only seen the highlights so far.)
The losing captain of the Zorro/X-Pac match will be caned 10 times. Yes, this is Sandman vs Tommy Dreamer from ECW. However, the important difference between this bit and the usual AAA homages to stuff elsewhere long ago is you don’t have to know about the original match to understand this one. This whole feud started when X-Pac turned on the Legion and caned, the Legion responding by beating up X-Pac, with Zorro caning X-Pac so hard and so many that it left scars, and every thing since then about X-Pac wanting to get his caning revenge. This all makes perfect sense.
Other notes
– no Konnan. no word why.
– 55% of the tickets have been sold, and they’re hoping to sell out all 17,000 seats.
– Kenzo had an awesome shirt.
– Silver King wore his mask to the press conference, was annoyed with people asking if he’s going to wear his mask in the match, and accused Dr. Wagner and Santo of living off their father’s works, plus the usual anti-La Parka stuff. Wagner would just like Silver King to stop dressing like him.
– A trailer for the AAA movie will be shown (presumably a new one), and the video game will be offically announced to come out before the end of the year.
– A unknown percentage of the revenue will be donated to Rebeca de Alba’s foundation to help children with cancer. Blue Demon Jr.’s done work with her and this group in the past.
(The rest of the news will be up later.)
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YouTube answered me……………………. the reasons were 3 vids from Tercera Caida where they showed a review of WrestleMania [WWE Copyright] & Take No Prisioners [HD Net or ROH Wrestling copyright]……….. I’ve learned, no more Tercera Caida, I’m back on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/LuchaLibreNation
Yesterday, I tried uploading lucha on DailyMotion, was too slow, actually I’m uploading IWRG from May 28th @ YouTube…………….
If you think about it Silver King is being really smart right now by wearing the mask. The reason I say this is because for the first time since before he left to WCW he as Silver King is relevant in the wrestling world.
@r0b3rt0×3L14S: I figured it was either the US or Japan footage on 3ra Caida. They’ve probably been told by WWE and ROH to remove videos thousands of times. You could probably still upload 3ra Caida, but just don’t put up the segments with US stuff. Glad you got that settled.
@Jake: Very true.
I wonder how many people will order Triplemania on PPV. Last year, I asked around and no one ordered it since it was airing on free tv or at least they assumed it was at the time (which it was of course). Hopefully, AAA lets everyone know it is definitely going to be a PPV only show because I could see a lot of folks skipping on ordering it.
that is a sweet shirt!
The first time I am actually looking forward to a wrestling show in general and it ends up being a PPV! If I wasn’t so cheap that wouldn’t be a problem.
Any word if it is only Sky PPV or will Cablevision be getting it too? Hopefully if they are only doing PPV they get as much distribution as possible.
So no Triplemania on free tv hu? Just another attempt to be like WWE. But at least WWE gives you the entire show on their DVD’s.
@r0b3rt0×3L14S: Fantastic news! It’s funny they came after YOU for the copyright but not after TVC Deportes who puts the actual pirated show on television.
Agree with everyone – the shirt RULES! Just needs some matching pants!
I wonder if this is the right business move for AAA. Maybe two years ago it would have been wise to start PPV-only shows but to introduce that concept now in the terrible economy while your main rivals are doing lots of half-price shows? Konnan’s never been known as a smart business man and he may be over-reaching trying to copy the WWE here.
Also, it may be time to change the name of the show from Triplemania considering:
a) There aren’t three shows any more.
b) If AAA really sees the WWE as their main competition – the wise thing might be to not have a ‘mania’ show as their biggest of the year.
I won’t call it copying WWE per say, I guess they want too see how well this will work. Plus, too see how well the dvd release will do. I think a Triplemania dvd would do well. I also think they plan on putting this on ppv in the US sometime later this year instead of highlights. Plus, one only ppv per year is not bad compare to 12-15 ppvs per year. If this fail,they will go back to the old formula.
@USAUSA1: That’s why AAA has to secure carriage in the US. They have the television in place.
You’re right. It’s not copying WWE.
@Alan: No listings for TripleMania PPV on Cablevision for 6/13 at this point (though you can still buy WWE Extreme Rules PPV a week later). Seems like a bad idea to do PPV only if you are only being carried on Sky, but hopefully they do a decent job with the DVD if they are going this route.
So this won’t be on Gala in the U.S.?
@Joe Lider: No Joe.
@Alan: I can’t think of any AAA or CMLL PPV’s that were carried by more than one provider. Everything has been a “SKY EXCLUSIVE”.
WWE might have more power to gain wider distribution, but I have a feeling they bow to the kings of Televisa in Mexico too.
@LLL: Wrestlemania was actually Cablevision exclusive. I’m guessing the other ppv’s have been as well, but I’m not actually sure.
I remember being able to see Wrestlemania on cable in Mexico the week after it happened ala how AAAmania has been.
Airing Triplemania two or three weeks after it happens would not negatively effect buy rates, because people who are willing to pay money for it are people who would rather see it live as it happens instead of waiting a couple of weeks to watch it after knowing the results.
And if AAA keeps insulting the fans by putting out DVD’s that are chopped and edited to hell instead of giving the entire event, then you will see a drop in sales. Nobody will pay money for crap over and over again.
@Daniel: Particularly as long as there are ripped versions of the ppv readily available all over Mexico City and full youtube versions of the matches easily available. Now, releasing an actual special edition with things not seen on TV/PPV and high quality would be well worth any extra cost over the bootlegs easily available.