Premium children's store Peek Kids has teamed up with Pro Football HOFer Mike Ditka "on a limited run of boys' T-shirts graced with his words of wisdom," according to Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. One shirt reads, "You never really lose until you quit trying." It has a "big 1985 on the back in case anyone needs a reminder" of the Bears' Super Bowl title under Ditka. Another reads, "Before you can win you have to believe that you are worthy." That shirt features Ditka's "retired jersey number, 89, on the back." The shirts are "made of cotton in Bears orange and blue." The limited-edition line will launch tomorrow and be available at Peek's new store in Chicago's Bucktown, and "at Peek's Oakbrook Center and Northbrook Court stores, which opened last fall, as well as on PeekKids.com." The partnership with the Ditka family began when Stacy Ditka, his daughter-in-law, "reached out to Peek to see if it was interested in carrying her football-themed line of boys' clothes, called Ditka Kids Gridiron Clothing." Peek "declined, but it instead offered to partner on a co-branded line." The Ditkas "suggested the quotes, and Peek made the shirts" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 8/17).
HE'S IN DA MONEY: In Chicago, Danny Ecker writes Ditka has "name recognition that eclipses every active pro athlete in town and commands an endorsement income that would be the envy of many of them." Ditka's agent, Steve Mandell, "declines to say how much his client pulls in, but industry experts peg his annual take" at $2-3M. Media buyers said that Ditka "commands up to $250,000 per national brand endorsement." Over the past year alone, he "has done national ads for Pepsi, State Farm Insurance Cos. and Overstock.com on top of stumping locally for New York Jewelers, Binny's Beverage Depot, Al's Beef, Nancy's Pizza and the Hearing Lab." New this year are endorsement deals "with shopping app Result.ly and Foru International, a dietary supplement company." Those "are on top of a laundry list of brands for which he has been the mascot over the years, including Coors Light, Scott toilet paper, Clear Choice dental implants, Campbell's Chunky Soup, Peak Performance anti-freeze, Hanes, McDonald's, Boost Mobile and erectile dysfunction drug Levitra." Mandell said that Ditka "turns down about a half-dozen opportunities for every one he takes." Ditka "may not vet each company's business model." But he said that he "aims to align himself with people he likes" (CRAIN'S CHICAGO BUSINESS, 8/18 issue).
