MultiChoice Group has unveiled plans to phase out Showmax Pro in anticipation of the forthcoming relaunch of the Showmax platform by year-end. In a notice to subscribers posted on the Showmax website, MultiChoice clarified that the revamped Showmax will exclusively focus on Premier League football, which is considered the most-watched football league in Africa.
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The notice stated, “Showmax Pro in its current form will be phased out by 30 November. More details around the refreshed pricing and the product will be shared soon.”
Showmax Pro, in its current iteration, combines the basic Showmax entertainment tier with various sports events provided by sister company SuperSport. Previously, it featured not only Premier League football but also the UEFA Champions League, LaLiga, Serie A, the FA Cup, and more, along with athletics, running, and boxing events.
To ensure continued access to sports content, existing Showmax Pro customers in South Africa will be offered a DStv Compact Plus Stream package at the same price as Showmax Pro. DStv Compact Plus Stream is presently priced at R549/month, while Showmax Pro costs R349/month. This means Showmax Pro customers will save R200/month and gain access to additional sports content, including selected Rugby World Cup 2023 games.
Customers will be able to stream 115 live channels, access the full DStv video-on-demand library, and maintain full access to Showmax’s entertainment catalog. The offer is exclusively available to existing Showmax Pro customers, who will receive communication from MultiChoice regarding how to sign up. It is not available to Showmax Pro mobile-only subscribers.
Effective from October 1, Showmax Pro will no longer be available for subscription.
These changes are part of MultiChoice’s preparations for a significant overhaul of Showmax, expected to be completed by year-end. The new version of Showmax, often referred to as “version 2,” will incorporate strategic and technical input from new partner and co-investor NBCUniversal.
In March, MultiChoice announced that NBCUniversal would acquire a 30% stake in Showmax as part of a plan to establish the leading internet video streaming platform in Africa. The agreement includes the supply of technology and new content to Showmax subscribers. MultiChoice will retain a 70% stake in the business.
