At a Glance
- MultiChoice eyes SuperSport spin-off to stem DStv subscriber losses across Africa.
- Streaming rivals, economic strain drive MultiChoice revenue down 9.3% in FY2025.
- Flexible pay-TV bundles, Showmax revamp part of MultiChoice’s turnaround strategy.
MultiChoice Group is considering a major overhaul to its pay-TV offering by potentially unbundling SuperSport from DStv, a move aimed at easing pricing pressure and stemming subscriber losses across Africa.
CEO Calvo Mawela confirmed that the company is accelerating a strategic review that could allow DStv users to subscribe to general entertainment without SuperSport channels — with sports content offered as add-ons, similar to models used by Sky and other global broadcasters.
“If the investigation delivers favorable results, consumers may soon customize their DStv packages, choosing sports like soccer or rugby on demand,” Mawela said following the release of the group’s FY2025 results. The review is expected to conclude by March 2026.
Subscriber losses mount as market pressures bite
MultiChoice lost 1.2 million paying DStv subscribers over the past year, with sharp declines not only in South Africa but across the continent.
The group blames a tough economic climate, competition from streaming services like Netflix and YouTube Premium, and shifting consumer priorities.
“People are financially stretched — they’re choosing food and school fees over pay TV,” Mawela said. “Our strategy isn’t broken; the market is under strain.”
The company is piloting more flexible offerings, including weekly DStv bundles, first in Uganda, with plans to expand to South Africa and other markets if successful.
Financial performance weakens as streaming, FX losses bite
For the year ended March 2025, MultiChoice posted a 9.3 percent drop in revenue to R50.8 billion ($2.8 billion), down from R56 billion ($3.1 billion) a year earlier.
Trading profit plunged nearly 49 percent year-on-year to R4 billion ($224.3 million), weighed down by foreign exchange losses and a widening deficit at its streaming arm, Showmax.
Notably, the group suffered an organic R2.3 billion ($127.7 million) increase in Showmax trading losses and R5.2 billion ($288.8 million) in foreign currency revenue hits, underscoring the financial headwinds facing the broadcaster.
Calvo Mawela, Group CEO, has a longstanding background in broadcasting and regulatory affairs across South Africa’s media landscape.
His tenure at MultiChoice has navigated the company through unprecedented economic and industry disruptions.
Despite the tough environment, CEO Calvo Mawela remains focused on strategic adaptations to safeguard the group’s market position.
SuperSport to remain exclusive despite restructuring
MultiChoice remains Africa’s leading entertainment platform, reaching over 23.5 million households in 50 countries through brands including DStv, GOtv, Showmax, M-Net, and SuperSport and KingMakers.
Despite considering SuperSport’s separation from the DStv bundle, Mawela emphasized that the content would remain exclusive to MultiChoice platforms. “Sport is our differentiator. It drives stickiness and acquisition — it must remain in-house,” he said.
