The third season of the Golden Boomerang Awards by Boomerang Partners is not losing momentum. Following the conclusion of the First Half, the tournament has confirmed one of the main ideas behind this season: long-term mechanics can increase partner engagement, while a sports-focused strategy can help turn that activity into measurable results.

First Half leaderboard and highlights

The Kickoff stage concluded on June 9, with impressive participant engagement. Mystery Boxes were raffled off among all participants, featuring exclusive prizes such as limited-edition FIFA World Cup 2026 jerseys – three per box, each representing a different participating country. The winner of this opening stage – team AskBonus – will attend the Wimbledon Championships from June 29 to July 12, 2026. For Boomerang Partners, sport remains one of the key areas of expertise, which is why it runs through the tournament mechanics, partner activities, and even the prize pool.

The rules are the same across all stages: the top 10 teams qualify for a random draw for the main stage prize, while Mystery Boxes are available to all active participants – not only the leaders. This keeps the competition open for everyone.

Tracking the leaders: The GBA 2026 standings update

Currently, a clear leader has emerged in the tournament. Team Lily has already scored 6,029 points (of which nearly 5,200 points come from sports FTDs). Team O follows in second place with 2,677 points. The rest of the top five – third, fourth, and fifth – currently hold 750, 504, and 341 points respectively. At the same time, the leaderboard is changing dynamically, driven by high participant activity.

The sports vertical accounts for nearly half of all FTD activity

According to Boomerang Partners, about half of the FTDs brought by Golden Boomerang Awards participants to the partner brands in the company’s portfolio come from the sports segment. This confirms a strong audience interest in sports events, especially given the active stage of the FIFA World Cup in North America.

The organizers have noted on multiple occasions that the third season of GBA prioritizes long-term strategy over participants’ short-term successes. This point is backed up by data on activities in the online casino segment. So, about a third of participating teams actively use the LUCKY FIVE mechanic. It allows affiliate teams to earn 5 bonus points per week if they generate 10 or more Casino FTDs during the reporting week.

The second half has introduced upgraded mechanics

The Second Half kicked off on June 10 – the winner of this stage will visit the Formula 1 Grand Prix on September 6. The stage runs through July 19. Thus, even for those joining the race now, there is every chance of catching up with the leaders and seriously competing for the prize.

To help teams with this, Boomerang Partners introduced a key feature for the Second Half aimed at new participants – WELCOME BOOST. Every new affiliate team will receive double points for every FTD throughout the first 14 days from the moment of joining. The LUCKY FIVE and LAST MINUTES WINNER mechanics also continue to be active, with the latter allowing participants to earn three times the points for every FTD during the last 7 days of the stage. In addition, the value of sports FTDs has increased – compared to the first stage, teams can now earn 3 points instead of 2 for each such FTD. This will be particularly beneficial for sports-focused affiliates, especially given that the stage runs alongside the FIFA World Cup and Wimbledon, both of which are driving high demand from audiences.

Race remains open at any stage of the season

As soon as the Second Half concludes, the Overtime stage will begin, featuring its own prizes, bonus mechanics, and enhanced point scoring. This keeps the tournament challenges completely open, giving every active participant a real opportunity to reach the top ranks. The awards ceremony in 11 categories will take place in September in Lisbon as part of the SBC Summit, allowing winners to gain not just physical prizes, but a sense of belonging among the best in the affiliate marketing industry – a feeling that fully aligns with the concept of the third season, Beyond the Moment. More details are available on the official Golden Boomerang Awards website.

About Boomerang

Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global marketing agency offering a wide range of services. Boomerang Partners is an Official Regional Partner of AC Milan. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards – a global tournament for affiliate teams. More than 400 affiliate teams participated in the second season of the tournament in 2025. Partners of the Agency launched six new products in 2024-2025, contributing to a nearly 1.5-fold increase in product users.

The Agency’s clients’ portfolio contains 10+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across multiple markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide incentive programs and 24/7 multilingual support.

Disclaimer:

The FIFA World Cup and Wimbledon Championships are made for descriptive purposes only. Boomerang Partners is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to these entities in any way.

Logo will appear on West Ham’s Men’s and Women’s home, away and training kits under the Principal Partner agreement.

BOYLE Sports will continue as West Ham United’s front-of-shirt sponsor for the 2026/27 season, the company said today. The BOYLE Sports logo will feature on the club’s Men’s and Women’s team home, away and training kits.

The extension keeps BOYLE Sports in place as West Ham’s Principal Partner into 2026/27. The company said it will continue supporter-facing activity across matchdays, digital channels and other club moments.

BOYLE Sports pointed to a “strong first year” of the multi-year partnership, including a scarf giveaway ahead of the first home match of the season and two editions of its ‘Shirt Swap’ activation.

BOYLE Sports CEO, Vlad Kaltenieks said: “West Ham United is one of the most recognisable clubs in English football, with a proud history and a passionate fanbase. We were proud to begin our partnership last season, but this is only the start and we look forward to an exciting season ahead.”

West Ham United’s Interim Chief Executive Officer, Karim Virani, added: “We’re delighted to have BOYLE Sports continue as our front of shirt partner as part of the multi-year Principal Partnership. As we enter an exciting new era for the club and prepare for a pivotal season, it matters that our commercial partners share the same passion and drive that we have for our loyal fans. BOYLE Sports has approached the partnership in that spirit, and we look forward to continuing to work with them.”

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Quantum has agreed to acquire Cashback.co.uk, JoinCustard.co.uk and the Custard mobile app from Submission Technology, with the transaction set to complete on 1 July 2026. The deal adds two consumer rewards brands to Quantum’s portfolio and marks its entry into the digital rewards and cashback segment.

Cashback.co.uk operates as a UK cashback platform, while JoinCustard.co.uk launched in October 2024 as a digital rewards and gifting platform. The Custard mobile app is included as part of the acquisition.

Quantum said the acquisition expands its footprint beyond affiliate marketing into direct-to-consumer rewards products. The buyer pointed to 36% year-on-year revenue growth in 2025 and recent launches in Ireland, South Africa and multiple US states, adding that it now operates across the UK, US, Ireland and South Africa.

Jamie Walters, CEO of Quantum International Holdings, said: “Cashback and Custard are proven platforms with loyal users, clear product-market fit, and strong commercial potential. What they need now is scale, and that is where Quantum can add real value.

“We have the data, technology, and performance mindset to grow these platforms quickly and responsibly. This is a bold move into a fast-growing consumer rewards space, and a natural next step in our ambition to connect more people with better value across the digital economy.”

Quantum said its Qi Platform will support the acquired assets through faster product iteration, improved personalisation and deeper insight into user behaviour, with its in-house data engineering, machine learning and software engineering teams supporting integration.

Neil Durrant, CEO of Submission Technology, said: “We built Cashback and Custard from the ground up, and we are incredibly proud of what the team has achieved. Quantum is the right home for these platforms.

“Their technology, commercial relationships and ambition make them well placed to take Cashback and Custard to a much bigger audience. It is an exciting next chapter for both businesses.” Financial terms were not disclosed.

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