Let’s address some bad wrestling hot takes today, shall we? Can’t say I’m usually one to give in to the tomfoolery, but I couldn’t help myself this time. It’s a question that actually interested me before I spent a split second to think about it. I don’t even remember who the source of this question is – I just saw on Twitter the other day….“big venues for the Royal Rumble make WrestleMania feel less special.”
In short, no. No, that’s not true at all. Why am I even writing this?
Are there people choosing to go to the Royal Rumble over WrestleMania? Maybe. But, it’s not like the events are held in the same city. It’s not like there’s a mass exodus of dozens of thousands of people who are leaving empty seats in large football stadiums come April. There’s plenty of tickets, seats, and experiences to go around for both shows. Why does it make WrestleMania less special? Enlighten me, because I truly don’t understand. Is the WWE not allowed to make other shows feel more grandiose? Should they not fill the seats if they can?
To me, it’s just a way to make the Royal Rumble feel even bigger than it already is. Plus, it’s good business. A lot of people think the house show is dying a slow death. So, why not try and boost attendance and make the televised events larger in scale? Did you watch WrestleMania 33 and think, “y’know….that would’ve been a good WrestleMania if they didn’t have the Royal Rumble in San Antonio this year?”
But, this question caught my attention because I hadn’t even stopped to think, “ah yeah – they are running the Rumble in bigger venues.” At least two of the past three years. In 2017, the show ran from the Alamodome in San Antonio with an attendance of 52,020. It was sick – you had Goldberg’s return, the Undertaker’s return. And of course, you had the golf cart that had to get the bigger guys to the ring. If the Rumble didn’t run the Alamodome, we’d never have that moment. Why don’t you think about that, wrestling Twitter, before you throw out such loaded takes?
This year, the Rumble is being held at Chase Field in Phoenix, with a capacity of 48,519 (for a baseball game). I’m pumped – the Royal Rumble is going to be HUGE, just as it should be!
The philosophy behind WrestleMania seems to have changed in recent years. It’s no longer just about the event. It’s about the journey. WrestleMania isn’t just a show anymore, it’s a season. Whether this is a long term strategy of WWE’s or not, who knows? I’m certainly not in the room. But, it’s a smart move.
WrestleMania is such a financial success for the brand, of course you’d be smart to try and stretch it out over the course of several months. Having the Rumble in these big venues is a part of that, and in that regard, actually kind of adds to the mystique of the Granddaddy of ’em All. At least to this pro wrestling writer.
I say, “keep it up.”
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD and #BeBetter. “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Alabama Crimson Tide football, the WWE, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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