The city of Tampa is no stranger to the blinding lights and deafening roars of the wrestling world. Many may remember how the city’s Tropicana Field served as the backdrop for the WWE ThunderDome during the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic. As curtains fell on the virtual crowds and digital cheers of the ThunderDome, the Tropicana Field prepares to echo with real fanfare once again. The Tampa Bay Rays’ stadium has been announced as the host for the 2024 Royal Rumble. This grand revelation came a mere day after Endeavor’s majority stake acquisition in WWE was made official.
Tampa Bay Rays President, Matt Silverman, resonated the excitement, inviting the entire world to experience what the business-centric city has to offer, saying:
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.
However, Tampa isn’t new to the grandeur of wrestling. Raymond James Stadium played host to the WrestleMania 37 back in April 2021, marking the return of fans since the pandemic hit. But this time around, there’s an air of heightened anticipation. The last Royal Rumble saw record-breaking numbers, grossing $7.7 million, making it the highest-revenue-earning Royal Rumble in WWE history.
Such success becomes all the more pivotal as WWE embarks on its new voyage with the TKO Holdings Group, joining hands with UFC. The aftermath of Endeavor’s stake in WWE set the company’s valuation soaring to $9.3 billion, further amplified by the launch of TKO with UFC, a staggering $21 billion venture. A testimony to this bullish market sentiment, TKO’s shares opened at $102 on the New York Stock Exchange.
While the Royal Rumble is still many months away, Ringside News reports that the WWE has already determined the victor of the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match, and many believe that it will be LA Knight.
LA Knight has proven himself as a top-billing superstar in the WWE over the past year, initially feuding with Bray Wyatt before calling out the likes of The Rock, Kevin Nash, and taking on The Miz and a returning John Cena. With LA Knight expected to sign a massive five-year deal with the WWE, winning the Rumble will put his path directly towards the main event of WrestleMania 40, where he can choose between the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship, which are currently held by Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, respectively.
If we were to speculate, Cody Rhodes will likely win the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match to set-up his revenge match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 and finally complete his story.
WWE’s narrative is ever-evolving, and only time will unveil how this road to WrestleMania pans out, starting with the Royal Rumble. For Tampa, this isn’t their first tryst with the Royal Rumble. The city hosted the event back in 1995, where Shawn Michaels emerged as the champion. But, this will be the first time WWE will allow a live audience into Tropicana Field, setting the stage for a spectacle unlike any other.
The “Trop” boasts a seating capacity for 42,000 fans, positioning it slightly below the draw of the 2023 Royal Rumble, an event that drew a crowd of over 50,000 in Texas. The much-anticipated Rumble card will revolve around the 30-man and 30-woman over-the-top-rope Royal Rumble matches. The victors will challenge for titles at WrestleMania 40.
WWE’s deep-rooted connection with Tampa is evident. “Team Tampa Bay loved hosting WrestleMania 37 two years ago and we’re now beyond excited to collaborate again with our longtime friends at WWE,” Rob Higgins, Tampa Bay Sports Commission Executive Director, remarked.
The weekend promises a whirlwind of events spanning St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and Tampa. The wrestling behemoth, now officially part of the $21 billion merger with UFC under TKO, plans to take over the weekend across these cities. The events will culminate with Monday Night Raw from Tampa’s Amalie Arena.
As January 27 nears, Tropicana Field stands poised to play host, not just to a wrestling event, but to a global spectacle, a testament to wrestling’s undying allure and Tampa’s undying spirit.
