WWE Announces Plans for 2019 Royal Rumble

Even though the 2018 Royal Rumble is just a few days away, WWE has already solidified their plans for next year's January extravaganza. And it may be one the biggest Royal Rumbles in history.

WWE announced Wednesday morning that the 2019 Royal Rumble will be hosted by Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona. The venue primarily functions as the home of Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks and can hold nearly 50,0000 fans. WWE released their statement on WWE.com.

Phoenix to Host 2019 WWE® Royal Rumble® Weekend

01/24/2018 STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- WWE® (NYSE: WWE) today announced that Chase Field in Phoenix will host the Royal Rumble on Sunday, January 27, 2019. This marks WWE's debut at Chase Field, and the first time the Royal Rumble has ever been held at a baseball stadium. In addition, as part of Royal Rumble Weekend, Phoenix will host NXT®TakeOver®, Monday Night Raw® and SmackDown® Live at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

2019 Key Dates:

* Saturday, January 26 – NXT TakeOver at Talking Stick Resort Arena

* Sunday, January 27 – Royal Rumble at Chase Field

* Monday, January 28 – Monday Night Raw at Talking Stick Resort Arena

* Tuesday, January 29 – SmackDown Live at Talking Stick Resort Arena

Additional details, including ticket availability and travel packages, will be announced in the near future.

This year's Royal Rumble will draw under 20,000 fans even if WWE sells out Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center. The area hosted the 2015 Rumble and brought in just over 17,000 fans. A Rumble in a baseball stadium will easily double that number.

However, even if WWE packs Chase Field to the brim, it still won't be the biggest Royal Rumble in history. San Antonio's Alamodome the site of the 2017 and 1997 Royal Rumbles both drew over 50,000 people with the 1997 Rumble accruing a whopping 60,000 WWE fans.

While we still have no idea who will win the 2018 Royal Rumble, the Chase Field Rumble will likely see Braun Strowman as it's first ever winner. WWE has done it's best to slow play the Monster Among Men, but the next 12 months will be inhaled by WWE's newest Monster. Seeing that he will be kept out of WrestleMania 34's main event this year, that real estate will belong to him in 2019.

We'll just have to wait and see. don't miss this 2019's Royal Rumble, this Sunday, January 28th live on the WWE Network.