Strategic brand building: Boomerang Partners and AC Milan

It is no secret that the igaming industry is highly competitive, requiring brands to keep up with trends that continually evolve. Many brands strive to go beyond standard marketing tools to achieve their business goals. Collaboration with top sports clubs and organisations, especially football clubs, is becoming a key trend.

There is an objective explanation for this. Global reach, audience trust and image enhancement are not just advantages of such partnerships, but a necessity. An excellent example of such cooperation is the strategic partnership between Boomerang Partners and AC Milan.  July 2025 marked the first anniversary of this partnership. 

The Boomerang Partners approach

Boomerang Partners is currently one of the fastest-growing and most significant sports affiliate programmes on the market. In 2024, the total online betting segment of the brands in its portfolio surged 5x. The number of online sports betting offers surged more than 6x, sports traffic demonstrated a 194% increase year on year (YoY), while the number of partners increased 120%.

Behind the impressive figures lies meticulous work and precision. Achieving results in a highly competitive market is only possible with strategic planning. One of the most vital components of such work is developing a brand and reputation.

Choosing AC Milan as a strategically ideal partner

AC Milan is one of the most successful football clubs in the world, with more than 550 million fans and a rich history full of spectacular victories and trophies. For Boomerang, it was a logical choice as the two parties share common values: ambition, a desire for development and a passion for sports; creating the perfect synergy. The scale of AC Milan’s fanbase only enhances the appeal of the partnership for Boomerang.

The announcement of the partnership between Boomerang and AC Milan was one of the biggest news stories of 2024, both in the sports world and the affiliate marketing industry, reaching an audience of over 144 million. As a global football giant, AC Milan is a strong brand. Even people who are not particularly interested in sports have heard of the club and know its red and black colours (hence the club’s nickname ‘Rossoneri’).

Anton Eshtokin, chief marketing officer at Boomerang Partners, says: “The process of agreeing with AC Milan took time, which is understandable given the status of the deal. We are pleased with the results of the first year of cooperation. Among other things, it had a positive impact on the visibility and recognition of our brand.”

Realisation of partnership

The strategic partnership between Boomerang Partners and AC Milan has delivered impressive results in its first year. Key highlights include the launch of over five co-branded campaigns and the production of more than 200 AC Milan-branded creatives, showcasing the club’s iconic identity. The Golden Boomerang Awards 2025 (Boomerang Partners’ annual global affiliate tournament) ceremony was held at the San Siro in Milan, and emerged as the top-performing activation, with 80 million+ impressions from co-branded content. The most viewed campaign/video was the main co-branded campaign with partners status.

During the first year of the partnership, engagement was strong, with more than 500 fan contest participants and a reach of more than 40 million through branding opportunities. Boomerang also hosted three branded merchandise giveaways. The partnership garnered more than 300 global media mentions and achieved a 15%+ growth in organic branded search. Additionally, there were seven-plus PR and influencer collaborations and ~15 collaborative events.

Eshtokin notes: “The first year of our partnership has been inspiring and fruitful. Together with AC Milan, a club that shares our core values, we’ve built a strong image of a dependable, forward-thinking and innovative international brand with a clear vision for the future.

“Boomerang Partners’ visibility has grown significantly to the point where it’s easily recognisable. To support this, we’ve conducted thorough research that demonstrates our leadership in recognition.

“One of the highlights of our first year was the ‘Money can’t buy’ experiences, like the unforgettable moment when Andrea Pirlo, a legend of AC Milan, presented awards at our prestigious Golden Boomerang Awards ceremony, right on the hallowed ground of the San Siro Stadium in Milan.” 

Numbers that speak for themselves

Throughout a year-long collaboration with AC Milan, Boomerang Partners achieved even more impressive results: sports traffic across Boomerang’s affiliate ecosystem increased by 194%, audience interest in sports topics rose by 81% and loyalty to the Boomerang brand grew by 23%. Additionally, the sportsbook GGR growth YoY was 62.9%, and the increase in affiliate sign-ups YoY was 58%. The media effect was no less impressive: 30+ exclusive campaigns for partners, 1,000+ media mentions with a reach of 320+ million people and one million-plus views of AC Milan-related content on Boomerang platforms.

The image achievements are just as remarkable: the Golden Boomerang Awards 2025 ceremony, held at the San Siro Stadium; the participation of AC Milan legends (Pirlo, Serginho and Massimo Ambrosini) in Boomerang’s events; more than 200 partners attending the AC Milan matches (including the derby with Inter); and more than 500 merchandise items given away.

Boomerang’s collaboration with AC Milan has resulted in much industry recognition, as Eshtokin explains: “The most important measure of our success is the overwhelmingly positive feedback we receive from different parts of the industry, including our partners, influencers and media outlets.

“Naturally, this positive feedback directly contributes to our commercial success with our partners. This collaboration not only boosts the performance of our flagship brand, Boomerang Bet, but also deepens our relationships, making them even stronger.”

Partnership as an investment in the future

The partnership between Boomerang Partners and AC Milan is a strategic investment in brand strengthening and long-term growth. It is a practical demonstration of how modern igaming brands can create value through sports, going beyond standard models. The partnership between the parties is now entering its second year, and it is already clear that this is a story of how shared values and ambitions create new horizons for business and sport.

Eshtokin adds: “In the upcoming season of our partnership with AC Milan, we’re excited to build on the successful strategies we’ve used before. At the same time, we’ll be refreshing our communication approach.

“This will be the backbone of our projects, ensuring they are as engaging and uniquely memorable as ever, whether we’re working with B2B or B2C segments.”

Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global brand. Its portfolio contains 17+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations.

In 2024 and 2025, Boomerang Partners held the global affiliate tournament, Golden Boomerang Awards. Boomerang is the official regional betting partner of AC Milan.