MultiChoice Group is speeding up plans to look into separating SuperSport from DStv, which could mean viewers might soon be able to sign up for general entertainment without having to pay for sports channels.
The idea is to tackle falling pay-TV numbers and give customers the option to add sports bundles only if they want them, similar to how companies like Sky do it overseas.
Group CEO Calvo Mawela told TechCentral on Thursday, 12 June, that the investigation is expected to conclude by March 2026. He said:
We think that in this financial year we should have a view of which direction to take, and as soon as we have made that, we should be able to update you.
Mawela says that splitting SuperSport from DStv has to boost revenue and profits, not make things worse.
He stressed that SuperSport bundles will still only be available through MultiChoice, since live sport is a big draw for keeping and gaining subscribers.
The review comes after MultiChoice lost 1.2 million paying DStv customers over the past year, thanks to what they called “unprecedented headwinds” – mainly tough competition from streaming services and squeezed consumer spending across its African markets.
MultiChoice is working to make it easier and more affordable for customers to buy DStv, including a pilot project to offer weekly DStv bundles.
This pilot, currently underway in Uganda and scheduled to run for the next few months, will be expanded to other markets, including South Africa, should the model prove successful.
More: Tech Central
So you’re going to screw the sports fans then?