Sylvester Stallone Coming To Philadelphia To Celebrate First Ever ‘Rocky Day’
TORONTO, ONTARIO - SEPTEMBER 16: Sylvester Stallone attends Netflix's "Sly" world premiere during the Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on September 16, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Ryan Emberley/Getty Images for Netflix)
Why did it take this long for this to happen? Sylvester Stallone is coming to Philadelphia to celebrate the first ever “Rocky Day! Sly will appear at the foot of the art museum on the 47th anniversary of the original movie’s 1976 release. Isn’t it insane to think the original Rocky movie came out in 1976? Like what? Sly himself is 77 years old! 77!! How Syl contines to embrace Philly warms our hearts. And to think, for many many years, the most epic Philadelphia athlete was Rocky! Everyone made fun of Philly because our best athlete was a movie character. Thank goodness we moved past that with Joel Emiid, Bryce Harper, Jalen Hurts and so many more. Everyone seems to be loving Philly lately. Bradley Cooper has come to so many Eagles games, Rob Mcelhenney made a massive $100,000 donation to the Eagles Autism foundation by winning the signed Kylie Kelce Princess Diana jacket. Pink, Zach Bryan and Ryan Phillippe tweeting. What a time to be a Philly sports fan!
Sly has a really sweet quote about what this means to him:
“This day is an amazing day for me, and the people who have taken in Rocky into their hearts,” Stallone said Monday. “When I come to Philly and stand on the steps, it touches my soul like it did when I was a child. This is a very special place in a very special city. … Believe me, there’s no other place like it in the world!”
24 Philly Sports References in TV Shows and Movies
It’s difficult to capture the passion of Philadelphia sports in movies or TV shows. The closest-knit, 4-for-4 fan base in major North American professional sports is tough to crack for outsiders.
However, Philadelphians love local references and acknowledgment. They’ve seen some great recognition on the big screen over the years.
A “Philly” Thing
The idea of a “Philly thing” has grown to enormous levels in recent years.
It’s why athletes, coaches, and executives can pander to the fan base so easily. Nick Sirianni, Bryce Harper, and others have built themselves some favor with the (harmless) strategy.
There’s something about Philadelphia pride that gets the sports fan bases riled up like nothing else. The Eagles can play Rocky clips at home games for decades. They know it invokes the identity of the city. The underdog sports narrative has been the focus of countless sports movies, but none of them can land quite the same way as the one about a Philadelphian who has to scratch and claw his way to glory.
People see It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia or Abbott Elementary, and they recognize places they go to regularly. It creates civic pride in a way that a Phillies yearbook or a documentary about an old Eagles season can’t do.
Some of the local writers and directors who have worked to create these hit shows have added plenty of great touches that only people from the City of Brotherly Love would be able to pull off.
References to Philly sports on the big screen aren’t too difficult to find. However, crafting accurate portrayals with attention to detail to capture the pulse of the fan base and the hearts of Philadelphians is a much greater goal.
How many narratives have given proper and accurate recognition to Philadelphia sports, local fandom, and the civic pride it represents? The list extends far beyond Rocky.
The first ever “Rocky Day” will happen this Sunday December 3. Sly will appear at the Parkway Visitor Center at 11 a.m. for a special event celebrating his beloved boxing alter ego, Rocky Balboa. The actor will ceremoniously open the visitor center’s new Rocky Shop after a reading of the city resolution deeming Dec. 3 — the date of the original “Rocky” film’s release — as Rocky Day.
Nicole Michalik is the afternoon drive host on 925XTU. She has been with the station for the past 5 years and was named CRS New Face of Country Music. Nicole always had a strong love for pop-culture and has been working in entertainment since her college internship. As a content creator for 925XTU, Nicole writes articles on Philly happenings, sports, celebrity relationships, pop culture moments and anything else she finds fun and exciting!