WWE may not have an offseason, but it’s unofficial “playoff” period begins at WWE Royal Rumble. The multi-man battle royal has been a WWE tradition for decades, with the winners of the men’s and women’s bouts earning a championship match at that year’s WWE WrestleMania. Often championed as one of the most anticipated shows of the year for fans, WWE has supersized the premium live event in recent years, upgrading WWE Royal Rumble from basketball arenas to baseball stadiums. Regularly drawing crowds that rival the biggest non-WrestleManiaย events, WWE Royal Rumble has earned its status as a “big four” show tenfold lately.
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WWE Royal Rumble Heads to Tampa Bay
The road to WWE WrestleMania 40 begins in Florida.
As announced by WWE, Tampa Bay’s Tropicana Field will host WWE Royal Rumble on Saturday, January 27th. Alongside the premium live event, WWE will run Monday Night Raw from Tampa’s Amalie Arena on Monday, January 29th.
“Tampa Bay has long been a terrific market for WWE,” said WWE Executive Vice President of Live Events John Porco. “Thanks to our partners at the Tampa Bay Rays, Visit St. Pete/Clearwater and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission, we look forward to a fantastic schedule of events in January.”
“We are excited to welcome WWE back to Tropicana Field for the 2024 Royal Rumble,” Tampa Bay Rays President Matt Silverman said. “The Royal Rumble will provide first-class sports entertainment to both those seeing the action in person and watching as part of a worldwide television audience. This event will bring visitors from around the globe to experience the beauty of our area and all it has to offer.”
“Team Tampa Bay loved hosting WrestleMania 37 two years ago and we’re now beyond excited to have the opportunity to collaborate again with our longtime friends at WWE,” Tampa Bay Sports Commission Executive Director Rob Higgins said. “Royal Rumble Weekend in January of 2024 will be a phenomenal regional effort that spans Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties including both Tropicana Field and Amalie Arena. Together, we’re focused on making sure that WWE Universe is treated to a weekend that’s filled with memories that last a lifetime.”
WWE’s Familiarity With Tropicana Field
While this will be the first time that Tropicana Field has hosted fans for a WWE event, WWE ran multiple shows from the venue over a five-month span.
Tropicana Field was one of the homes of the WWE ThunderDome, WWE’s virtual arena utilized during the lockdown era of live entertainment. Beyond dozens of episodes of Monday Night Raw and WWE SmackDown, Tropicana Field also hosted WWE Royal Rumble 2021, a crowd-less event that saw Edge and Bianca Belair win the titular matches.
WWE Royal Rumble goes down on Saturday, January 27th.
