In a bold move, MultiChoice is bidding farewell to its Showmax Pro service, a premium offering that has been serving sports content to its subscribers for the past three years. Laura Cooke, a spokesperson for Showmax, confirmed this development, marking the end of an era.
But as one door closes, another opens. In a strategic partnership with Comcast’s NBCUniversal and Sky in the United Kingdom, MultiChoice is set to unveil a revamped Showmax. This move is aimed at strengthening their position in the competitive landscape of video streaming services in South Africa and across the African continent. Their main rival? Netflix, which currently holds the lion’s share of subscribers across the continent.
From 1 October onwards, Showmax Pro, priced at R349 per month, ceased to accept new subscriptions. However, sports enthusiasts need not worry. The relaunched “Showmax 2.0” will continue to broadcast the much-loved English Premier League (EPL) along with other sports content as part of its enhanced offering.
Existing Showmax Pro subscribers in South Africa are being transitioned to DStv Compact Plus Stream at no additional cost. Similarly, subscribers from other parts of the African continent are being offered a DStv Stream subscription at the same price as Showmax Pro. However, these alternative offers are not available to Showmax Pro mobile users.