Rush Street Interactive (RSI) announced that it has appointed experienced executive Brian Sapp as the company's first Chief Marketing Officer.
Sapp will join Rush Street Interactive's executive leadership team and report to CEO Richard Schwartz. This appointment marks his first role in the gambling industry.
He takes on the newly created role after nearly three years as head of growth for virtual reality game Rec Room. Sapp also worked at the video game development company Jam City for three and a half years.
Earlier in his career, Sapp was with Warner Bros.' WB Games San Francisco division. Here, he served as Director of Digital Publishing and was responsible for user acquisition, analytics, and monetization.
Sapp also worked at social and mobile app business Tapjoy and EMI Music Publishing, while also founding music discovery site Fuzzedout.com. Additionally, for the past eight years, he has been an advisor and investor for startups.
Sapp aims to continue momentum on RSI
Commenting on his appointment, Mr Sapp said he was delighted to be joining RSI, saying it comes at an exciting time for the business.
“I'm excited to join Rush Street Interactive at a time of great momentum for the company,” said Sapp. “As a marketer who understands what it takes to succeed in a competitive mobile environment, RSI's customer-centric focus really resonated with me.
“I look forward to leveraging my experience and expertise to drive RSI’s marketing efforts during its next phase of growth and deliver a superior experience for our customers.”
CEO Schwartz also welcomed the appointment, saying Sapp will support the company's ongoing growth plans.
“As we continue to grow and expand across the Americas, Brian's unique blend of gaming and mobile experiences, strategic acumen and creativity will help our marketing leadership shape the future of our brands and innovate for our customers. He'll be joining a team that continues to do this.''It's a first for me,'' Schwartz said.
“We are thrilled to have him on board to lead our marketing strategy, team and operations.”
Rush Street Interactive exceeds 2023 revenue target
The appointment comes after RSI revealed last month that it had exceeded its 2023 revenue target, supported by record fourth-quarter numbers.
Sales increased by 16.7% year on year to $691.2m (£546.1m/€636.7m). This was on the high end of guidance released in early 2023 of $630 million to $700 million.
RSI posted a net loss for the year, but the $18.3 million loss was much lower than the $38.6 million loss in 2022. Additionally, adjusted EBITDA was positive for the full year, exceeding RSI's expectations for it to be positive only in the second half of the year.
RSI also took the opportunity to talk about possible expansion in 2024. It will be centered around the US and Canada, with the business monitoring several markets.
Areas of interest include New York, Maryland, and Illinois, as well as Canadian provinces such as Alberta.
