One of the best events involving large groups of large people in spandex is coming to Tampa Bay in early 2024.

This morning, WWE announced that the 37th Royal Rumble is headed to Tropicana Field on Jan. 27. Not to be outdone, Tampa’s Amalie Arena will then host Monday Night Raw on Jan. 29.

“Tampa Bay has long been a terrific market for WWE,” said WWE Executive Vice President of Live Events John Porco in a statement. “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.”

For those who’ve never Rumbled, the main event centers around 30-man and 30-woman Royal Rumble matches, which start with just two wrestlers and add a new every 90 seconds.
The winners of each division will receive a Championship match opportunity at WrestleMania 40, says WWE.

It’s been awhile since local wrestling fans have seen a Royal Rumble in person. The event was last in Tampa Bay back in 2021, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, guests were not allowed in attendance. The last time it was in front of a live audience in Tampa Bay was 1995 at the USF SunDome, which is now called the Yuengling Center.

“Team Tampa Bay loved hosting WrestleMania 37 two years ago and we’re now beyond excited to have the opportunity to collaborate again with our longtime friends at WWE,” said Rob Higgins, Tampa Bay Sports Commission Executive Director.

As of now, fans can register for pre-sale tickets.

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This article appears in Sep 7-13, 2023.