As noted, Saturday’s special edition of WWE Backstage on FS1 will feature announcements on the #30 entrant for the Men’s Royal Rumble Match, and the #1 and #2 entrants on the Women’s Royal Rumble Match.
The decision was made to announce these Rumble spots on WWE Backstage because FOX and WWE want the show to draw a strong viewership number, according to Fightful Select. This would maximize the partnership and deals that the two sides already have in place.
On a related note, it was reported that WWE Hall of Famer Edge’s Royal Rumble ring return was announced ahead of time to create more buzz for Sunday’s pay-per-view, and to help attract lapsed fans that are familiar with The Rated R Superstar.
There was a lot of chatter on social media with fans wondering why WWE didn’t save Edge’s return as a surprise for The Rumble. It was noted that if there was an actual crowd at Sunday’s pay-per-view, then there’s a good chance Edge’s return would have been a surprise. However, it was decided that announcing the return ahead of time would be the way to go to help generate buzz.
Stay tuned for more.
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