570 fans in sweatsuits break Philadelphia world record
The gathering on the museum steps marked the 50th anniversary of the 1976 film starring Sylvester Stallone.
By Samuel Hayes ·
Philadelphia celebrated the 50th anniversary of the 1976 movie Rocky with a massive gathering on Friday. The event took place on the iconic steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Fans assembled to attempt a Guinness World Record for the largest group of people dressed as the fictional boxer.
Participants wore a specific uniform to qualify for the count. The outfit included a black beanie, gray sweatpants, a gray sweatshirt, and black high-top Converse sneakers. An announcer verified the look as attendees arrived. One person was asked for their name and answered, "Rocky Balboa."
Guinness World Records required a minimum of 250 participants to certify the attempt. The official count reached 570 people, according to the announcer. This number exceeded the threshold and secured the record for the city.
The celebration is part of a monthlong series of events in Philadelphia. These activities include a sprint up the museum stairs and a rededication ceremony for the permanent Rocky statue. The city also hosted a meat market challenge where fans recreated a training scene from the film. In that scene, the character punches slabs of frozen meat.
After the record was confirmed, the group ran up the stairs to pose for a group photo. The museum steps serve as a central backdrop for the franchise's legacy. The film was written by Sylvester Stallone, who was an unknown actor at the time. He wrote the script to land acting work and produced the movie for less than $1 million.
The 1976 film tells the story of a small-time boxer from South Philadelphia. He takes on the heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed, during the nation's bicentennial. Rocky loses the fight but wins the heart of Adrian, a pet store clerk. The movie won the best picture Oscar and became the highest-grossing sports film of its era.
Guinness notes that the franchise holds the record for the most successful sports movie series. Philadelphia held its first Rocky Day in 2023 with Stallone in attendance. The city expanded these celebrations to a weeklong Rocky Fest in 2024. This year's festivities began with the release of Stallone's memoir, The Steps, on September 29.
