Rush Street Interactive, Inc., a Chicago-based company, on Tuesday unveiled the signing of Mike Ditka (pictured), NFL Hall of Famer and former Chicago Bears player and coach, to a multi-year agreement.
RSI said Ditka will be an NFL brand ambassador exclusively for BetRivers.com, the Bears official and exclusive sportsbook partner.
Ditka, who played 12 seasons for the Bears, was the first pure tight end ever elected to the Hall of Fame. He is one of only two NFL legends to have won a Super Bowl as a player, an assistant coach and a head coach. Ditka has been a national NFL Analyst for ESPN and called NFL games as a color commentator for NBC.
The partnership makes the head coach of the celebrated 1985 Bears, famed for being one of the greatest football teams ever after winning Super Bowl XX, an exclusive NFL brand ambassador of the BetRivers brand. Coach Ditka also will serve as a BetRivers.com spokesperson and will be engaged in upcoming promotions and events on BetRivers platforms.
RSI said with its new streaming capabilities, Ditka will have the power to stream to BetRivers bettors directly from the company’s app. Ditka will provide his insight and unique perspective on the NFL on @BetRivers social media, additional digital and traditional media platforms.
The company said NFL fans also will see, “Da Coach’s Picks of the Week” and “Beat Da Coach,” a weekly web video that will focus on upcoming Chicago Bears games during regular and postseason.
Aside from Chicago, Ditka also has deep roots in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “Iron Mike” said he got his nickname from being born and raised in the “Steel Town” area. Ditka played for the University of Pittsburgh from 1958 until 1960. In 1997, his number 89 jersey was retired by the college. He was inducted into the University of Pittsburgh Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
“We are honored to partner with one of the greatest coaches in NFL history; someone who has deep roots in Chicago and is one of the most important figures in modern sports and culture,” Richard Schwartz, president of RSI,said in a statement. “Mike Ditka was successful at every level of the game, from player to coach to analyst, and we are thrilled for him to bring his knowledge and passion to our sports betting arena at BetRivers.com.”
Ditka added, “As a coach my philosophy has always been one thing – to win. BetRivers strives to develop trusting relationships with its players. I am really looking forward to helping strengthen those bonds even further by offering advice to its players on how to win.”
RSI was founded in 2012 in Chicago by gaming industry veterans. Through its brands, BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse.com, RSI was an early entrant in many regulated jurisdictions and currently is live with real-money mobile, online and/or retail operations in 10 US states: Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Colorado, Iowa and West Virginia. The company also offers its online casino and sportsbook in the regulated gaming market of Colombia on RushBet.co.
