TKO Group, the new publicly listed company made up of the merged World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) organization and mixed-martial arts promotion UFC, will host its first Royal Rumble in Tampa Bay, Florida.
The announcement was made together with the Tampa Bay Rays Major League Baseball team, Visit St. Petersburg, Visit Clearwater, and the Tampa Bay Sports Commission.
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The 37th Royal Rumble will be the flagship event of three WWE shows in Florida on the last weekend of January, with the Rumble itself on January 27 at the Rays’ Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. This marks the first time the Royal Rumble will be held in Tampa Bay in front of fans since 1995.
There will also be a Monday Night Raw show in the Amalie Arena in Tampa on January 29, and a third unconfirmed show that weekend in Clearwater.
WWE executive vice president of live events John Porco said: “Tampa Bay has long been a terrific market for WWE. “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.”
Tampa Bay Rays president Matt Silverman added: “We are excited to welcome WWE back to Tropicana Field for the 2024 Royal Rumble.
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By GlobalData“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.”
The Royal Rumble will be headlined as always by the 30-man and 30-woman Royal Rumble matches, with the winners of both receiving a championship match opportunity at WrestleMania 40.
The announcement comes after this year’s record-setting Royal Rumble, with the event in San Antonio, Texas receiving record gate revenue and viewership.
The event drew $7.7 million in gate sales, a more than 50% rise from its previous record, which was set by the 2017 edition with $4.9 million.
Viewership for the event increased 52% from last year’s record-setting event, while merchandise sales also saw a 135% jump on the 2022 Royal Rumble.
