Royal Rumble Deadline Passes, No Attendance Planned

Written by Matt Tennant • Published 8th January 2021
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According to Jon Alba of The LTG Podcast and Spectrum Sports, there are currently no plans for WWE to have fans in attendance for the 2021 Royal Rumble.

In November 2020, prior to WWE moving it’s ThunderDome concept to Tropicana Field from Amway Center, it was reported that the company had given the powers that be a deadline of January 7, 2021, to decide whether fans would be allowed inside the building for the Royal Rumble.

With over forty thousand seats to house a potential crowd, Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter stated that it would be easy for WWE to allow fans back for the extravaganza with social distancing and safety protocols provided. However, the decision lay with those in charged of Tropicana Field.

Now, Jon Alba has taken to Twitter to update fans on the current situation, stating that currently, there will be no audience on January 31:

“Just dropped on @theLTGpodcast: Multiple sources indicate there are currently no plans for #WWE to have fans at the Royal Rumble.”

A follow-up tweet stated how basketball games around the country are allowing a limited number of devotees and NXT and AEW have attendees, but the WWE ThunderDome will remain a closed set before Alba continued:

“As I’ve noted, it’s pro wrestling, plans are always subject to change. But the plan as of now, Jan. 7, does not include fans in attendance at Tropicana Field.
FWIW, Florida had 17,783 new positive COVID cases announced Wednesday.”

There is every chance that any decision will be made to admit the public in the coming days and with the elimination extravaganza still on the distant horizon, it wouldn’t be too late for the company to offer tickets and market the event as the first main roster show with fans since March 2020.

The full report is available via Living The Gimmick on Patreon.