Philadelphia and the Countryside - Press Room

Philly & New York: Big City Similarities & Differences:

• Both Philadelphia and New York are home to the most ionic symbols of freedom in the country. Philadelphia boasts the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, while New York cherishes Lady Liberty. Fittingly, the Philly/New York World Series match-up has been dubbed the Liberty Series.
• Philadelphians and New Yorkers like their bread. Philly folks are all about soft pretzels. In fact, many shops are now hawking p-shaped versions of the doughy delights. In New York, bagels rule.
• New Yorkers head to Broadway for a dose of theater, and Philadelphians hit Broad Street, also known as the Avenue of the Arts. Broad Street is also one of the spots Philadelphians gather en masse to celebrate sports championships.
• After a big win, the Phillies play Frank Sinatra’s “High Hopes” as recorded by the city’s lauded sports announcer Harry Kalas. The Yankees celebrate a win with Sinatra’s “New York, New York.”
• Philadelphia is looking for a rare World Series repeat. The last time a team accomplished that feat was in 1998-1999-2000, and that team was the Yankees.

Did You Know That Philly Sports Fans…:

• Cherish the words of our Hall of Fame announcers: Merrill Reese (Eagles), the late Gene Hart (Flyers) and especially the late Harry Kalas (Phillies). After clinching the 2009 division and league titles, Phillies players paid tribute to Kalas at a memorial erected at Citizens Bank Park in his honor. We’re also known to turn down the TV volume and listen to the radio broadcast during games. (No offense to national anchors—we’re just fiercely loyal to the local crew.)
• Let out a huge sigh of relief collectively when the Phillies won the 2008 World Series and broke the curse of William Penn. You see, no Philly team had won a world championship since Liberty Place was erected to stand taller than the William Penn (city founder) statue atop City Hall. To break the curse, Liberty Property Trust placed a small statue of William Penn on the top beam of the Comcast Center building when building construction was completed in 2008. It worked!
• Cheered former outfielder Pat Burrell when he returned to play at Citizens Bank Park in 2009 with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Phillies’ 2008 World Series rivals.
• Enjoy the most vegan-friendly food of any ballpark in the country, according to PETA—bestowing the honor on Citizens Bank Park three years in a row.
• Stay all nine innings, no matter the score.
• Go to McFadden’s at Citizens Bank Park even for away games!
• Tune in to our governor, Ed Rendell, as a football analyst on Comcast Sportsnet’s Pregame Live and Postgame Live shows.
• Cheered Allen Iverson for 10 minutes when he returned to the Wachovia Center for his first game as a Denver Nugget. And we cheered former Phillie Larry Bowa as the Dodgers’ third-base coach during the 2008 NLCS.
• Are in heaven during a Big 5 game at The Palestra. The Big 5 college basketball teams are Penn, Temple, LaSalle, St. Joe’s and Villanova (Drexel makes the City 6).
• Backed the right horses. Smarty Jones, Barbaro and Afleet Alex hail from our city.
• Bang on pots and pans out in the street after championship wins—at least in the Port Richmond section of town.

Visiting Sports Media, If You Have An Hour Or Two To Spare:

• Sample the tastes at the Reading Terminal Market, the country’s oldest continuously operating farmers’ market. 12^th & Arch Streets, (215) 922-2317, readingterminalmarket.org
• Run the Rocky steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. And at the bottom, the famous Rocky statue is a favorite picture spot. 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, (215) 763-8100, philamuseum.org
• Discover everything there is to know about the most famous four pages in history at the National Constitution Center. Of course, it can take the length of a baseball game to explore all of the exhibitions and activities, but for a quick trip, skip right to Signers’ Hall where you can walk among the life-sized statues of the 39 signers of the U.S. Constitution. 525 Arch Street, (215) 409-6700, constitutioncenter.org
• Stroll through Old City. Starting at 2^nd Street, walk up Chestnut Street to 6^th Street, make a right and head to Vine Street. This route passes major historic sites, delicious eateries and independently owned shops. And when you’re at the corner of 6^th and Chestnut Streets, look to your right to see our nation’s most famous icon—the Liberty Bell. If you have a couple extra minutes, stop inside the zero-admission Liberty Bell Center to get the full story of the cracked bell.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality.

For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit gophila.com or uwishunu.com, where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to Hear Philly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.

Contact(s):

• Cara Schneider, (215) 599-0789
• Jeff Liebreich, (215) 599-0230