- Rush Street Interactive (RSI) has signed former NBA star Joakin Noah as a brand ambassador for their PlaySugarhouse and BetRivers brands.
- Noah is the son of 1970’s tennis star Yannick Noah.
- RSI will launch BetRivers in Ontario on April 4, 2022.
On a macro level, 2022 has seen a lot of stagnation in the North American sports betting industry so far. That will likely change very soon when Ontario launches their competitive online gaming market on April 4, 2022 but that notwithstanding there hasn’t been much happening in the sports betting industry. Much of this is a result of boneheaded regulation that codifies anti-competitive practice and cronyism and this runs the risk of ‘killing the golden goose’ as I’ve said in the past.
One company that hasn’t been in a state of suspended animation in 2022 is Chicago based Rush Street Interactive (RSI). They’re best known to the American gaming industry for their BetRivers and PlaySugarhouse iGaming and sports betting brands. The company now has retail and/or online market access in thirteen US states: Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Colorado, Iowa, West Virginia, Louisiana and Arizona. They’ve also improved their already solid presence in Latin America with a potentially very lucrative deal in Mexico. Like many other companies, they’ll be launching in Ontario soon.
Most recently, they’ve made a brand ambassador partnership with former NBA star Joakim Noah. Noah won back to back NCAA Championships while at the University of Florida and had a very solid 13 year NBA career with nine spent as a member of the Chicago Bulls. 1970’s tennis fans will remember his dad, the very talented Yannick Noah. Noah will serve as a brand ambassador for RSI’s PlaySugarhouse and BetRivers brand with a focus on Illinois.
Here’s some more info on what Noah will be doing from a press release announcing the partnership:
Noah, who spent nine seasons with the Chicago Bulls, will be provide content for BetRivers, including including weekly videos that will range in scope from basketball reactions to commentary on his life and charitable efforts. He will also feature in marketing campaign across television, radio, and billboards, and make appearances at multiple BetRivers locations.
That could be potentially brutal but Noah is one of the unique athletes that could pull it off. He proved to be exceptionally intelligent and articulate during his NBA career and if he can bring those qualities to his work with RSI they’ll have a winner. Since his NBA career ended, Noah has been heavily involved in charitable work with a focus on his pet project called the Noah’s Arc Foundation. The Noah’s Arc Foundation uses sports and art to provide kids with the opportunity to create positive change within themselves and their community. Noah is always excited to share his love for basketball:
“I look forward to joining the team to enhance the betting experience while sharing my passion for basketball.”
RSI chief executive Richard Schwartz is happy to have Noah on board:
“We are thrilled to have a former Chicago Bull join our BetRivers family. Joakim Noah will bring his love, passion, and knowledge of basketball to help create a more engaging betting experience for our players.”
In addition to having their home office in Chicago, RSI owns and operates Rivers Casino Des Plaines in Des Plaines, Illinois which is approximately 20 miles north of downtown. They also offer mobile sports betting in Illinois.
