By Yolisa Phahle
We’re currently in uncharted territory when it comes to the future of entertainment.
While pay-TV continues to grow on the African continent, streaming is becoming a powerful contender for people’s time as international and local streamers continue to invest in Africa.
What we do know is that Africa is a football-mad continent, with local leagues like the DStv Premiership attracting diehard fans in equal measure to the fanatical support for international leagues like the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.
Many of the world’s top teams now feature homegrown stars like Senegal’s heroic Sadio Mane, who plays for Bayern Munich, Egyptian Mohamed Salah’s relentless goal-scoring for Liverpool, and Algerian Riyad Mahrez, whose deadly left foot is a pleasure to watch as he dribbles like a superstar for Manchester City.
Until recently, access to live sport has largely only been possible through pay-TV services or free to air traditional television channels.
This is changing fast with the launch of live sport streaming services like Showmax Pro in Africa – powered by SuperSport. It’s becoming much, much easier, and more affordable to stream the world’s best sport.
Showmax Pro, which launched quietly in South Africa in 2019, is changing the game for football by offering English Premier League, Champions League, LaLiga, Serie A, UEFA Europa and UEFA
Conference leagues and every single match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and more - live streamed and on demand.
The mobile-only plan, which costs R225 per month, allows mobile viewers to stream on a single device while the standard Showmax Pro plan allows subscribers to register up to five devices including smart TVs, media boxes and mobile devices – and stream simultaneously on two devices at the same time for R349 per month.
One of the key differences when live streaming sport versus watching a dedicated television channel is how you consume matches. Rather than tuning into a specific channel, on Showmax Pro you can select specific matches or live shows and set reminders to watch.
The immersive interface is a completely fresh way to watch football, with its unique combination of live events, upcoming events and the wide range of related shows for sports fans.
On top of the live sport available, there is also a wide selection of on-demand shows, documentaries, and highlights for subscribers to enjoy when it suits them. The strong sport-related content includes the acclaimed rugby documentaries Chasing the Sun and Two Sides, the fan-favourite Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, and the brand-new reboot of sport drama The Game, jaw-dropping sport documentaries like The Alpinist and 100 Foot Wave.
Yolisa Phahle is the CEO of General Entertainment and Connected Video at MultiChoice.
BUSINESS REPORT