Is your name Ryan? Denver meetup hopes to set world record at Rockies game
DENVER (KDVR) -- While the Colorado Rockies are setting records for the worst start in the MLB season, fans are coming together with hopes to set a new record in the audience at Coors Field.
The group is calling for everyone named Ryan to fill a section of the audience at Coors Field on June 20. Their goal is to set the record for the most people with the same name in attendance at a baseball game.
It's one of many events that the group is holding leading up to their main goal of breaking the world record for the largest gathering of people with the same name, which was set when 2,325 people named Ivan gathered in 2017. Their largest event so far brought 600 Ryans to Los Angeles.
Not named Ryan?
Ryan Le, cofounder and event organizer for the nonprofit organization Ryan Meetup, told FOX31 that Ryan Meetup is a safe space for Ryans, but is not limited to Ryans. He said that for each event, the group brings all of the necessary paperwork for anyone to legally change their name to Ryan.
"Many people have done the paperwork, whether they would actually take it to the courthouse and finalize the paperwork is a different story," Le said.
The website notes that Bryans are not allowed, and Le explained that this is because the Ryan Meetups are a safe space where their names will not be mistaken for Bryan.
He said one time, a couple of Ryans were on "Wheel of Fortune" and met Ryan Seacrest, who noticed one of the Ryans was wearing a Ryan Meetup shirt that said "No Bryans allowed."
"He kind of gave us an affirmative nod as if he was called 'Bryan Seacrest' back before anyone knew who he was," Le said. "That's just one of the common bonds that bring Ryans together."
Ryan Meetup events in Denver
The Ryan Meetup group has held several events in major cities like Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago, including a Ryan Rave, St. Ryan's Day, the Ryan's game show and more.
Ryan Fisher told FOX31 that he attended his first Ryan Meetup in Miami and was hooked. He said when he walked in, he was greeted by dozens of Ryans saying, "Hey, Ryan's here!"
"You end up just talking the entire time, you have nothing in common with all these people, yet you have this amazing thing that you didn't choose as your name in common with all these other Ryans," Fisher said.
The group is inviting Ryans from all over the world to come to their double-header in Denver this June. Le said he is traveling from New York and said other Ryans are traveling from all over the country and even internationally. The group even presents a trophy at each event for the Ryan who travels the farthest.
The Ryans will meet at the Rockies game on Friday, June 20 and again at the Ryan Summit on Saturday, June 21, at the Shambles Tavern. The summit starts at 5 p.m. and is free to attend. It will feature the group's first-ever "RyanTalk," a keynote delivered by a Ryan who is picked for their "groundbreaking contributions to Ryan culture," according to the event listing.
Le said Ryans at the Colorado Rockies reached out and invited the Ryan Meetup to take over Coors Field for a game. The stadium set aside some 200 seats for people named Ryan, and said it will reserve more should the Ryans purchase more than that.
The group has filled out a priority application to get a representative from Guinness World Records to attend the event and officially set the first record.
Attendees named Ryan can secure their spot at the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks through a Ryan-specific Rockies ticket link.