WWE Royal Rumble 2018 is already set to feature big names like John Cena and Roman Reigns, but fans can expect the 30-man battle royal to be loaded with even more marquee stars.
Credit: WWE.com
Credit: WWE.com
In 2017, the bout featured a star-studded cast that included Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker, all of which were announced in advance for the match. Despite a loaded card that featured those three part-timers in the Rumble and Cena in a WWE title match, the WWE Network subscriber count only jumped up by 42,000 subscribers by the end of January 2017, which has to be considered a monumental disappointment given how much money was likely spent on those established veterans.
But there continues to be mounting evidence that most stars, even top level ones, aren't individual draws, with the Network subscriber count simply ebbing and flowing based on the time of the year rather than the presence of a particular star. Alas, that hasn't stopped WWE from loading up many of its PPVs with tremendous amounts of star power in hopes of attracting more fans, and we certainly can't blame WWE for trying, especially after the Raw 25 show that was loaded with legends galore did WWE's best viewership since 2014.
Another way WWE will try to increase everything from fan interest to TV ratings is by pulling off a few Royal Rumble surprises, like we saw in 2016 when AJ Styles made his debut during the 30-man Royal Rumble. And much like previous years, there are more than just a few names who just may treat fans to a triumphant return at this year's Royal Rumble inside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
WWE Royal Rumble 2018 is already set to feature big names like John Cena and Roman Reigns, but fans can expect the 30-man battle royal to be loaded with even more marquee stars.
Credit: WWE.com
Credit: WWE.com
In 2017, the bout featured a star-studded cast that included Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker, all of which were announced in advance for the match. Despite a loaded card that featured those three part-timers in the Rumble and Cena in a WWE title match, the WWE Network subscriber count only jumped up by 42,000 subscribers by the end of January 2017, which has to be considered a monumental disappointment given how much money was likely spent on those established veterans.
But there continues to be mounting evidence that most stars, even top level ones, aren't individual draws, with the Network subscriber count simply ebbing and flowing based on the time of the year rather than the presence of a particular star. Alas, that hasn't stopped WWE from loading up many of its PPVs with tremendous amounts of star power in hopes of attracting more fans, and we certainly can't blame WWE for trying, especially after the Raw 25 show that was loaded with legends galore did WWE's best viewership since 2014.
Another way WWE will try to increase everything from fan interest to TV ratings is by pulling off a few Royal Rumble surprises, like we saw in 2016 when AJ Styles made his debut during the 30-man Royal Rumble. And much like previous years, there are more than just a few names who just may treat fans to a triumphant return at this year's Royal Rumble inside the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
