Earlier this month, WWE announced that the 2027 Royal Rumble will be taking place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona in February of next year, with the official date for the event yet to be revealed. Over the last few years, WWE has altered when its Premium Live Events transpire, and the Royal Rumble is no different, as the show usually takes place in January. The strategy behind the schedule change stems from WWE’s partnership with ESPN, with both companies looking to avoid overlap from the NFL. However, with no NFL playoff games scheduled the weekend before the Super Bowl, WWE Hall Of Famer JBL believes the Royal Rumble could more intriguing to ESPN over Pro Bowl Weekend.
“I don’t have any insight into what they’re doing, but obviously it’s a negotiation of both and it’s probably ESPN … that is one of the most dead weekend in sports,” he said on “Something To Wrestle.” The NFL is trying to figure out a way to figure out what to do that weekend. The Hall of Fame game was never a huge draw.”
JBL also commented on the rumors of the Royal Rumble becoming a two-night event similarly to both WrestleMania and SummerSlam, claiming that it would be a beneficial move for WWE considering that each 30-person match lasts over an hour.
“I think it makes perfect sense. When we started the Rumble, the Rumble takes so long to have, well over an hour for the one match. Then you have the women’s match as well,” he explained. “Depending on the year, one’s going to be a bigger draw than the other, but both are big draws … I think it makes perfect sense to separate the Rumbles. From one night to the next, and then dress those around with the matches that you want.”
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Something To Wrestle” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
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