Why is WWE Royal Rumble 2022 taking place on a Saturday?
The 35th annual Royal Rumble event is upon us and it takes place on Saturday, January 29 from The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri. This venue will be the largest to host the event in history.
The Rumble event has set the stage for the weeks leading up to the WrestleMania showcase since the late 80's. It is one of WWE's most popular shows and is by far one of the most exhilarating nights on the pro-wrestling calendar.
Since 2018, both a Men's and Women's over-the-top-rope contest has occurred. Usually thirty entrants participate in each match and elimination can only occur when both feet touch the floor. The last Superstar standing in the ring is declared the winner, and they receive a Championship match opportunity at WrestleMania.
The Royal Rumble has taken place every January since its inception in 1988. Famous cities such as Philadelphia, Atlanta, Orlando and Houston have all hosted the Rumble. Madison Square Garden, the world's most famous arena, has hosted the event twice (2000 and 2008).
This year's event in St. Louis will be taking place on Saturday, January 29, moving away from its traditional Sunday night pay-per-view slot. So why is WWE Royal Rumble 2022 taking place on a Saturday?
The event will be taking place on a Saturday due to WWE's new strategy with pay-per-views, now known as premium live events. It will allow for more fans to attend and allow the company to make their events even bigger.
The event is spearheaded by WWE President Nick Khan, who said:
"We believe, on the sports calendar there are certain days where there should be sports and there aren't sports. We believe Saturday is one of those." (h/t Cultaholic)
Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Survivor Series will be Saturday events this year
WWE's upcoming event calendar also showcases a number of other events that will be taking place on a Saturday. WrestleMania will once again be two nights across the weekend of April 2 & 3. SummerSlam will take place on Saturday, July 30, and the Survivor Series will take place on Saturday, November 26.
Nick Khan explained:
"One area we've spent the last year examining is our strategic approach to pay-per-views. We've looked into all parts of that business and are making adjustments that we believe will enhance our results by making each pay-per-view a special event, not only as content but in all things surrounding each event. As promised last quarter, we recently announced our pay-per-view calendar for 2022. The dates, cities, and venues." (h/t Fightful)
Are you excited for the 2022 Royal Rumble? Let us know in the comments who you think will win the Men's and Women's Rumble matches!