answering some TripleMania questions

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When is TripleMania?

TripleMania is this Saturday, August 14th

Caveat: AAA’s run pre-shows matches before that have been really good. They may be running one again. Maybe check in early if you want to see everything.

How can I watch TripleMania?

this should be an easy one but it’s so annoying and has been all year

If you live in Mexico, your best bet is Space (cable TV) or AAA’s Facebook. There are other options, but those two will air the show completely and live. (You also could go to a Cineapolis movie theatre to watch it if you’re OK with going out. Wear a mask!)

It will not air on AAA’s YouTube and also not AAA’s Twitch. Not even if you’re in Mexico! AAA was getting paid by Twitch to air their shows on Twitch (above and beyond the normal Twitch money), Twitch isn’t paying them anymore, AAA’s not on Twitch. I’m not sure why no YouTube but no YouTube.

If you live outside of Mexico

What is the deal, man? Why can’t I just watch this show on Fite or something?

AAA would like to air this show everywhere. They don’t have that option right now. They made a deal that went very badly, or at least that’s what’s being claimed in court. No one can agree who gets paid any time AAA airs outside of Mexico, so AAA’s sidestepping the argument by not airing AAA outside of Mexico. It’s been this way the entire year.

The overly simplified version is

  • AAA made a deal with a bunch of Hollywood investors (who we’ll call Lucha Libre FMV) to fund Lucha Underground.
  • AAA agreed that if FMV paid a mystery amount to get LU going, FMV would get the rights outside of Mexico forever and ever.
  • FMV paid the mystery amount
  • LU did not make anyone much money. Depending on who you ask, they may have lost a lot of money.
  • AAA & FMV worked together once more to run shows in NY and LA
  • that also failed
  • FMV then noticed AAA was making all sorts of money with international companies (Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, Pluto, more) and wanted that money to recoup what they lost on the other projects
  • FMV’s reading of their deal with AAA is they didn’t just buy only the Lucha Underground rights, they brought the rights to every character AAA has ever created (past, present, and future) outside of Mexico and any money they will ever make using those characters outside of Mexico
  • AAA tried to pay them FMV of the international money to get them to go away
  • FMV felt they weren’t being heard, filed a lawsuit, and got AAA’s YouTube & Facebook taken down saying they owned the footage and the characters.
  • AAA got those sites back, but only in Mexico where everyone agrees AAA owns the footage

The craziest part of this is AAA giving away all of that for Lucha Underground, instead of just licensing their property for that show and retaining ownership. The second craziest part is AAA hasn’t acknowledged any of this happened. There’s never been an explanation to international viewers about why AAA’s disappeared off of social media for them – the only reason we know this is because someone stumbled upon the lawsuit filing and pointed me towards it. (There was a sideways confirmation in a press conference too.) AAA also has avoided actually being served in the lawsuit for months. This started in 2020 and it may be 2022 before AAA even responds.

(AAA may have a good defense for all of this. We have no idea at this point because they haven’t said anything. As it currently stands, it sure seems like they’re eventually just going to have to pay FMV for what they owed them from international earnings, and then perhaps another sum to buy the AAA rights back to resolve those. Those kinds of multi-million dollar payoffs are painful at any time and may just not be possible in the midst of a business-crushing pandemic. AAA might be stalling this out just so they’re in a better position to make a deal. This can be over in days whenever the two sides agree to a number to make this go away.)

So if FMV got AAA’s social media taken down, will they come after people streaming TripleMania? How about AAA?

No idea! My best read of the situation is FMV cares about the millions of dollars they feel AAA owes them and not the scraps that people might make off streaming one show. AAA doesn’t care – they’d stream it everywhere if possible – and just don’t want to get an additional hassle from FMV. The biggest obstacle is the Twitch stream getting too popular and Twitch shutting it down just to be safe. (I’ve got a backup plan should that occur.)

Will I get in trouble for watching AAA this way?

You, the viewer, are not going to get in trouble for watching the show. It’s not piracy, AAA’s not charging for the show, AAA would happily allow you to watch the show for free if it was possible.

For me, it is work, actual expense, and potential liability on my side, so I’m going to have a donation link if you want to buy me a pizza or pay for future legal costs. I’m hoping to reach a big total of $45 USD by the end of the night.

Is there English commentary?

No, it’s Mexico only, there is no English commentary.

Will I be able to watch it later?

If you’re in Mexico, for sure, it’ll be on their Facebook, that video stays up there. It’ll eventually be on their YouTube as well.

If you’re elsewhere, sure, it’ll be around somewhere, but you may have to look. (I won’t leave it up on Twitch but I may stick it elsewhere.)

Are you actually writing a preview of the matches at some point?

Yes! But that is a different blog.

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