![1656247_196747777364744_3918051683767780727_n[1]](https://i0.wp.com/www.thecubsfan.com/cmll/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/1656247_196747777364744_3918051683767780727_n1.jpg?resize=400%2C400)
(Credit to @notiluchaMexic2 for finding this first)
I didn’t think this was going to happen! Since the day the Elite started promoting, and more since since they started running regularly in CMLL arenas last fall, there has been talk about the fledgling Caristico led promotion getting on one of the Azteca stations. These are over the air channels which every single person in Mexico who has a TV set can get, but they’re also such big stations that a lucha libre promotion – even one heavy on names like Elite – might never be considered a big enough ratings draw to be on the network. A good TV outlet seems necessary to get the promotion to expand from doing 3000 turnout shows, but Azteca itself seemed like some pipe dream.
The dream got announced today. Elite itself hasn’t said anything – they’re running tonight in Puebla, maybe they’re busy – but there’s a new Lucha Azteca 7 website announcing the show. It will air on Azteca 7 on Fridays at 6pm. There’s a video up of the hosts of Deportes Calientes interviewing Zumbi. Near the end, Zumbi says the first show is April 1st, and makes it sound as if the March 30th Wednesday Elite debut show will be the first taping. (Perhaps the change of day of week has to do with the show getting on air? That would suggest this has been close for a while.)
This is huge news. This is a much better TV situation the home CMLL promotion has, though they’ll obviously benefit from their own guys being on these shows. (CMLL’s a winner in this; free publicity and their renter is going to be around longer.) It’s arguable a better deal than AAA has too. We don’t know what the pressures or expectations from Azteca will be for this show – the infamous one episode run of Perros del Mal on Televisa is a cautionary tale – but this is a fantastic opportunity for the Elite promotion and the luchadors who are part of it. They have a giant platform now and just up to them to make use of it.
Elite on Azteca possibly mean another talent raid too. Elite’s been using the TV chance as a carrot to get luchadors to jump, and some of those people were as skeptical as I’ve been about it actually happen. People may be more willing to take a jump now that this is a real thing. I haven’t heard anything about how the Elite shows have done this week, but this could be a pretty pivotal week for them if they can prove they can draw on the road too.
(As another ripple effect – whatever’s going on with Konnan, Elite getting Azteca means any other group is probably shut out.)
There’s no word about the show airing outside the US. It’s always possible Azteca could pick it up and pair it with the current CMLL show. I guess I’ll be looking for feeds again too. This is good news as far as seeing these Elite shows; the handhelds won’t be affected, but there’s a chance we can find a TV version too. This is bad news as far as keeping names straight – now there’s a “Lucha Azteca” and a “Lucha Azteca 7”!
I’ll update this if more information turns up tonight.
