Rocky fans who ascend the 72 “Rocky Steps” outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art can commemorate their trip with exclusively licensed Rocky franchise apparel, which is now being sold at the Parkway Visitor Center Outpost at the base of the steps.
The Philadelphia Visitor Center Corp., which manages the shop, has partnered with Sly Stallone Shop, the official brand of Sylvester Stallone, and MGM, the trademark owner of the Rocky franchise, to offer exclusively licensed Rocky franchise apparel and souvenirs at the Parkway Visitor Center Outpost as of Oct. 5.
With millions of visitors annually, the Rocky Statue is one of Philadelphia’s most-visited locations, according to the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corp. The recently opened Parkway Visitor Center Outpost provides information and services, sells tickets to major city attractions, serves as a hub for the seasonal PHLASH Downtown Loop transit service and connects visitors from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway’s museums and cultural institutions to Kelly Drive and Boathouse Row.
The Parkway Visitor Center Outpost will now feature a “Rocky Shop” in addition to locally sourced Philadelphia-themed retail and souvenirs. Merchandise available in the Rocky Shop will include the Rocky II Tiger Jacket; Rocky III Italian Stallion Training Jacket; Rocky II Boxing Trunks; Rocky III Yellow Boxing Trunks; Rocky III Italian Stallion Boxing Robe; Rocky IV Stars and Stripes Boxing Trunks; Rocky IV Balboa Boxing Robe; Rocky Philadelphia T-shirts; Rocky hats; and additional souvenir items such as collectibles and picture frames.
“The Rocky Statue is the second most-visited attraction in Philadelphia, so we’re thrilled to expand our visitor services in this location to provide exclusive access to apparel and souvenirs,” says Kathryn Ott Lovell, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corp. “Our partnership with Sly Stallone Shop and MGM Studios is a fantastic opportunity for the Visitor Center to continue supporting our operations on the Parkway and throughout the city, while giving our guests the opportunity to take a piece of Philadelphia and Rocky home with them.”
The Philadelphia Visitor Center Corp. says this is the first time Rocky franchise souvenirs will be available to guests at this location since 1982 when Sylvester Stallone presented the Rocky Statue to the city.
“I’m incredibly proud of my association and roots in Philadelphia,” says Stallone, an Academy Award-nominated actor and screenwriter and Golden Globe Award-winning actor. “Without Philly, I never would have had such a blessed life. I will always be indebted to the people and the fighting spirit of this unique city, and myself and ‘Rocky’ will always cherish the memories from the City of Brotherly Love. Every day, I think of thousands of people from all over the world who run up those amazing steps and have a piece of the dream and that alone makes my heart swell with pride. And I would like to personally thank the city officials who made this dream come true. I look forward to being there and celebrating with everyone!”
According to the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corp., the Rocky franchise has remained “a global phenomenon” because it presents moviegoers with universally relatable themes, such as ambition, passion and determination. MGM’s Rocky and Creed films have generated more than $2 billion in worldwide box-office sales, and the original Rocky received three Academy Awards.
“This collaboration will expand the Rocky experience in Philadelphia, an incredible city that will always be a special place for fans of Rocky,” says Robert Marick, head of MGM Consumer Products. “MGM Studios is eager to provide fans with an opportunity to further memorialize Rocky by giving them exclusive merchandise when they visit the city.”
Sasha Suda, George D. Widener director and chief executive officer of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, adds that this collaboration will also help the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She says, “Rocky and Sylvester Stallone are so closely linked to the Philadelphia Museum of Art that it’s hard to think of one without the other. Every day, we see crowds of people — visitors and locals alike — running the ‘Rocky Steps’ and taking photos with the Rocky statue. In fact, Mr. Stallone himself has been a friend and frequent visitor to the museum over the years. This collaboration will only help to encourage more visitors to come to the Rocky Steps and enjoy the beautiful Philadelphia Museum of Art. Our doors are wide open to welcome everyone.”
Visitors can stop by the Parkway Visitor Center Outpost from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Thursday through Monday for information and tickets to major city attractions. The Parkway Visitor Center Outpost is supported by a $100,000 contribution from Stallone, along with contributions from The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Visitor Center Corp.
