- Showmax, in collaboration with MultiChoice, NBCUniversal, and Sky, launches a new streaming platform in Africa, featuring live Premier League games and a variety of entertainment content.
- The service offers the world’s first standalone Premier League mobile plan at R69 a month, alongside other affordable subscription options.
- Enhanced by a robust technical platform, Showmax’s diverse content slate includes over 1,300 hours of Showmax Originals and popular titles from global media giants.
In a significant development for the African streaming market, Showmax, a collaboration between MultiChoice, Comcast’s NBCUniversal, and Sky, has launched a new streaming platform. This revamped service, featuring a refreshed brand and an extensive content lineup, aims to revolutionize the digital entertainment landscape in Africa.
Central to Showmax’s new offerings is the world’s first standalone Premier League streaming plan for mobile devices. Priced at just R69 a month, Showmax Premier League will broadcast all 380 games live, catering to the continent’s substantial football fan base. Marc Jury, CEO of Showmax, highlighted the potential impact of this service, noting the vast number of smartphone users and football enthusiasts across Africa.
Richard Masters, CEO of the Premier League, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, emphasizing Africa’s importance to the league and its clubs. He remarked that 20% of the league’s TV audiences on matchdays come from the continent, making this service a significant step in increasing accessibility to the Premier League.
In addition to the Premier League plan, Showmax offers two other subscription options in 44 African countries: Showmax Entertainment on mobile for R39 a month and the Showmax Entertainment plan, reduced from R99 to R89 per month.
The launch of Showmax is underpinned by a robust technical platform, designed to handle both live and on-demand content. This platform, which also powers the Peacock streaming service, is now active in over 70 countries. It has successfully streamed major events like the Super Bowl, the FIFA World Cup final, the Olympics, and WrestleMania. Patrick Miceli, Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer at NBCUniversal, emphasized the platform’s capability to deliver a world-class streaming experience.
New year, #NewShowmax. Streaming February
The change you never knew you needed! For sisters, brothers, glows-ups and superheroes. The #NewShowmax brings you entertainment tailored for Africa.
Showmax’s content slate is not limited to sports. The service will feature a diverse range of entertainment options, including 21 new Showmax Originals launching in February and a 150% increase in production output compared to the previous year. The platform will also offer popular titles from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, NBC, Peacock, DreamWorks Animation, and Telemundo, including films like “Fast X” and series such as “The Irrational.”
The African focus of Showmax is further strengthened by MultiChoice’s established presence on the continent. Calvo Mawela, CEO of MultiChoice Group, stated, “Showmax is putting the continent first with a powerful streaming service that will revolutionise streaming in Africa in 2024.”
Showmax also prioritizes customer accessibility, offering competitive pricing and a variety of payment options through its partnership with Moment, a payment network builder. Additionally, DStv customers can add Showmax to their monthly bill and enjoy discounts.
The new Showmax app will be available in app stores from 23 January 2024, with a staggered migration process across 44 markets. Existing customers will receive information on accessing the new app, with the full transition expected to be completed by February 2024.
