WWE considered holding the 2027 Royal Rumble the weekend after the Super Bowl, according to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select. A later date would have given ESPN a chance to promote the Rumble during its first Super Bowl broadcast, but it also would have put two major sporting events in the Phoenix area on the same weekend.

WWE announced on 2 November that the 40th annual Royal Rumble will take place on 6 February at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. WrestleVotes revealed which other date WWE had discussed.

“WrestleVotes on Fightful Select has been told that internal discussions within WWE took place about the possibility of hosting the 2027 Royal Rumble Premium Live Event two weeks later on February 20th.”

“Per a source, that idea centered around the opportunity to get a tremendous amount of exposure for the Royal Rumble during Super Bowl weekend, which is being broadcast on ESPN for the first time.”

The appeal for WWE extended beyond the game itself. ESPN would have a full week of build-up in which to give American football fans a look at what was coming up next.

“The thinking internally was that throughout the week on the lead up to the game, as well as during the game-day coverage itself, ESPN would theoretically be promoting more of its upcoming programming, which would include WWE’s Royal Rumble the following weekend.”

WrestleVotes said WWE weighed that opportunity against the knock-on effect on its own schedule and a clash with NBA All-Star Weekend.

“However, WWE decided against that for two primary reasons: First, while the potential advertising exposure was viewed as significant, pushing the event back two weeks would have forced many changes to the company’s calendar structure.”

“Secondly, Phoenix, Arizona, which is hosting the 2027 Royal Rumble, is already scheduled to host the 2027 NBA All-Star Weekend from February 19th through the 21st. So WWE stuck with February 6th.”

Would the chance to reach Super Bowl viewers have been worth moving the Rumble back two weeks, or did WWE pick the better date? Let us know in the comments.