After a successful first year of partnership with AC Milan, Boomerang Partners has reshaped their relationship under the “Time to Win” concept, turning it into a more structured, insight-driven model. With the introduction of the AC Milan Hub, Boomerang aims to shift beyond visibility and co-branding to focus on measurable commercial outcomes, delivering exclusive tools, enhanced activation mechanics, and more sophisticated engagement pathways for affiliates.

Aleksandr Makarov, Sponsorship Manager at Boomerang Partners, tells SBC News about how the partnership supports the company’s broader ambition to become a top-tier sports-focused affiliate programme worldwide, using the Italian club’s global resonance and access to fan culture as strategic levers. From data-backed content refinement to the continued development of the Golden Boomerang Awards, he signals 2026 as a year where community-building, digital personalisation, and partner experience sit at the centre of its growth strategy, with the club relationship acting as a unifying force across markets and affiliate networks.

SBC News: Does the new “Time to Win” framework change the strategic purpose of the AC Milan partnership compared with the first year of collaboration?

Aleksandr Makarov: I wouldn’t say this fundamentally alters the strategic nature or focus of our partnership with AC Milan. Any partnership is a long-term journey, and it’s rare for projects or activations carried out over its duration not to evolve or adjust along the way.

The same applies to the “Time to Win” concept – this isn’t a turning point in our collaboration with AC Milan, but rather a natural evolution of our joint efforts.

As has been noted before, the first year of a sponsorship activation typically involves foundational activities along with several special projects or “key moments” throughout the season. The second year naturally begins with an evaluation of what worked well initially and what could be enhanced. That’s exactly what we did – and credit is due to the Club, which consistently provides us with extensive analytics and insights to help refine and improve engagement.

“Time to Win” is a philosophy, a mindset, that reflects both our company and the Club. We aim to win in every sphere – from the football pitch to the digital space, from creating new emotions and engaging mechanics for fans to delivering maximum value and fresh experiences for our affiliate partners.

SBCN: The AC Milan Hub introduces a dedicated platform for affiliates and users. What commercial outcomes do you expect it to drive, and how will you measure its business impact across 2026?

AM: We have specific key performance indicators in mind that this hub is designed to drive. I’m sure these are familiar to industry professionals and are no secret. But here I’d like to draw a parallel with sport as a phenomenon: every football match lasts 90 minutes, each team fields 11 players – yet every match delivers unique, unrepeatable emotions. That’s the beauty of sport. Every game is a new experience.

And that’s precisely what our hub aims to provide: a fresh experience for our audience. Because when marketing activations often look similar, it’s that intangible value that becomes the deciding factor for a fan or a business partner. It’s this kind of value – a money can’t buy experience – that we’re bringing to life through our partnership with the Club, and the portal is the central tool in making that happen.

SBCN: The first year delivered more than 200 co-branded creatives and 80 million impressions. How will the new website streamline content production and distribution for affiliates in 2026?

AM: One of the key objectives of the hub is precisely the distribution of partnership-related content. Beyond standard formats like news and other useful materials, we’ve planned several types of activities designed to support our affiliate partners in achieving their goals.

“Time to Win Together” – this principle reflects our philosophy as well. If the fan wins, and our partner wins – then we win too. Together.

SBCN: You reported affiliate network growth of 120%, interest in sports topics of 81%, and brand loyalty of 23%, and 58% in affiliate sign-ups YoY. Which specific elements of the partnership — content, VIP activations, or brand association — contributed most to those results?

AM: Our global and ambitious goal is to become a top-tier player in the online sports betting industry. Partnerships like this one complement our marketing mix and serve their own specific objectives – from boosting brand awareness to driving direct conversions and delivering tangible business outcomes.

That’s precisely why there are no small details at any stage of the funnel. Everything matters: from the appearance and substance of our content to the various technical aspects of marketing and other variables.

I think it would be wrong to single out any one element. Just as on the pitch a team wins with 11 players – even if two or three are having a difficult match – in our work, every component is interconnected. It’s in this synergy that results are born.

SBCN: How will the GBL and GBA evolve under the Time to Win concept, and what role does the new hub play in community-building?

AM: The Golden Boomerang Awards 2026 are currently in the most active phase of preparation, and we already see several key drivers that we believe will elevate the project to an even higher level – with the Time to Win concept being one of them. We intend to – and will – leverage our full experience, expertise, and available toolkit to bring this project to life.

As for the community, it’s clear already: our partnership with AC Milan serves as one of the unifying forces. Activations with a Club of such stature and a brand of this caliber bring together and unite many of our affiliate partners under a shared vision. This has been – and remains – one of the principles we pursue through this collaboration.

SBCN: Your partnership has coincided with rapid product expansion and multiple industry awards. How does the AC Milan collaboration support Boomerang’s broader ambition to become the world’s leading sports-focused affiliate program?

AM: The Club’s team recognizes our company’s clear ambition to reach the very top of the industry and provides us with every support in our joint projects. Throughout our partnership, we’ve seen not just mutual interest in the success of our collaboration, but also a shared drive to achieve new milestones – together.

We have many ideas on how to strengthen our activations, and we believe that in 2026, a number of these ideas will come to life.

SBCN: Looking ahead to 2026, what new co-branded campaigns or digital features can affiliates expect, and how will the website evolve as the central engine of the partnership?

AM: In part, your question already contains the answer – the AC Milan Hub will become the central destination for all news and activities related to our partnership. That is our shared goal.

As for new campaigns or activities, I can say we’re committed to ensuring our affiliate partners receive more than just the obvious and foundational elements – we’ve already delivered that, even without the hub. We’ve identified areas for development and ideas that will provide affiliate partners not only with additional tools for their own initiatives but also with unexpected solutions in the form of special mechanics, exclusive projects aimed at boosting user engagement, and much more.

I’ll stick to tradition here and say I don’t want to reveal all our cards at once – we’ll be the first to announce all the news and activities when the time is right.