After a 7-year run, El Rey Network ceases operations on the last day of 2020.
The brainchild of director Robert Rodriguez, El Rey was launched in 2013, aiming to be the first 24-hour English-language Latino entertainment network with original and second-run programming.
Initially, it was one of the first minority-supported channels Comcast announced in 2012 it would launch as a condition of its 2011 merger with NBCUniversal. But a year later, Rodriguez himself showed up at Univision’s May upfront to reveal a change in plans.
His El Rey network would now partner with Univision, which at the time, had aspirations to attract more English-language dominant Latinos and had announced the creation of its own, ill-fated cable network Fusion.
Univision ended its partnership with El Rey in November, exiting its minority position in the cable network for an undisclosed sum.
The network continued to promote its New Year’s Eve lineup – even on social media – on December 31, just hours before its scheduled sign-off.
No word yet on what will happen with El Rey’s original content, whether it will move on to existing streaming platforms or if Rodriguez will venture to launch his own.
i hope el rey is gone only 4 a short time; hope it come back
i LOVED THE STATION..BRING IT BACK SOMEWHERE ROBERT!!!
What! Bring back El Rey. Crappy way to start 2021. Switched providers to get this network…bummed out.
I was so shocked. Where am I going to get my martial arts fixed, now? I, already, miss El Ray. 🙁
ElRey was one of my favorite station when it first came on through Comcast. Please come back to us so we can continue to watch your interviews and new/old school movies. If not, and you decide to move on, I will miss you!
I am not of Hispanic descent but El Rey Network was one of my favorite channels on Comcast. I am very sad to see it go. I love the stuff that Robert Rodriguez was doing on the network and will definitely miss all the shows. I will hope that he comes back with something else. I extremely liked his Director’s Chair and his take on a lot of things. I will really miss the kung fu movies and also miss the wrestling and especially miss the new Vampiro show, he is really something and I like his philosophy. It resonates with mine.
Please bring El Rey back! I love those old martial arts movies!
Bring back El Rey Network I watch this channel every single day and night especially on Sunday for kungfu sunday.
This is so disappointing. This was the only network that has ku kung movies on Sunday all day. The only time my kids was never Arguing or fighting over a video game. This is heart breaking. I’m prayering this wonderful great network comes back. PLEASE!!!!!!
I love shaolin kung fu Sunday’s & I will miss them!
I am not of Spanish decent but I throughly enjoyed the station every day . It is a shame that the station left am hoping that it will be returned very soon.
this sux
Mr. Rodruguez, I hope you’re coming back via your El Rey streaming service. Why not?! That’s what the big fish are doing. To hell with Comcast/Xfinity! They’ve seen the writing on the wall for quite some time & didn’t tell their customers. This is obvious because Comcast starting venturing into other opportunities (e.g. cell phone service, home security, etc.). Now, customers will have more control over their entertainmentbill bills. We could probably choose several streaming services, plus high-speed internet & still have or monthly bills come out better than traditional cable/internet provider bills, currently.
Love elrey hope they bring it back
Losing El Rey Nation on Verizon Fios is so very disappointing. I’m an old school TV watcher, and this is the only channel that I know of that showed all the old school Kung-Fu movies from back in the 60s and 70s. The marathons were the greatest! I really hope it comes back very soon, I’m lost without it!!
I enjoyed El Rey. It was the channel that go to. I’m chinese/ Mexican so I like the kung fu movies & tacos united. Thank you but I hope you return asap…..
This is the worst thing to happen, please bring El Rey back!! It is needed!
This is not what any of us wanted to see. This channel needs to come back in any forum! When I was in North Carolina, their cable system had this channel and NY Cablevision did not. Was ecstatic that Cablevision got the channel, only to have it removed. Bring back this channel Great shows and brings light to Latino culture !
From horror films to Kung fu to awesome original content. This was a wonderful channel for fans of great movies both old and new, independent or studio. Please, please bring back the El Rey network!