50 Things You Learn Binge-Watching Every WWE Royal Rumble

50. Nobody Knew How To Rumble In 1988!

Vince McMahon didn't think much of Pat Patterson's bold vision for what the Royal Rumble could be. During a meeting with NBC's Dick Ebersol, McMahon even reportedly encouraged Pat to tell the exec that "stupid idea of his". Luckily, Dick loved it, and a pay-per-view powerhouse was born. Not quite, at least not yet.

The first Rumble aired as a TV special in 1988, and it's such an oddity to look back on now.

Throughout, it's crystal clear that nobody really knew what was going on or how to differentiate the bout from other kick and punch-based Battle Royals of the era. Wrestlers entering at regularly scheduled intervals according to numbers drawn earlier? What is this madness?! It'll never catch on.

Fans in Ontario's Copps Coliseum seemed bored out of their skulls after the initial flutter of excitement for something new too. Let's just say this wasn't the hottest of starts for Patterson's creation, and it might've died a swift death had Ebersol not rubber-stumped the concept with his own personal seal of approval. That went a long, long way with Vince back in the late-80s - he was willing to try things on and follow those in the television industry who knew their stuff.

Admittedly, even the most hardcore wrestling fan won't squeeze much enjoyment out of the first Rumble. Seeing Bret Hart make history as the first entrant ever is fun, but the whole affair comes across more as a house show attraction than something that'd still be going strong decades later.