But all streaming packages that include English Premier League content will remain unchanged
10 July 2024 - 13:32
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Watching the new Showmax on tablet. Picture: SUPPLIED.
Showmax’s standard and entry-level plan prices will increase by an average of 12% from the beginning of August, Africa's largest paid video streaming service announced on Wednesday.
All streaming packages that include English Premier League content will remain unchanged.
MultiChoice, which is the subject of a takeover bid by French broadcaster Canal+, unveiled an updated version of Showmax in January. The new platform is underpinned by technology from US giant NBCUniversal and was made available to new customers on January 23. Existing customers were migrated in February.
The new platform is available in 44 countries.
When Multichoice launched the refreshed Showmax proposition, the group dropped the price of its main “entertainment” package from R99 to R89 per month to draw in more subscribers. This was seen as a bold move, especially at a time when competitors such as Netflix had been steadily increasing their prices.
Showmax's main package has held steady at R99 since 2015.
Technology investment, inflation and currency weakness across its markets appear to be the probable reasons for the price increase. Earlier in 2024, the group pushed up subscription prices across the board for its DStv offering.
After six months, the company is reverting to this familiar level, while taking its cheapest option from R39 to R45 a month.
Showmax Premier League will cost R69 a month, Showmax Entertainment Mobile + Premier League will be R99 and Showmax Entertainment + Premier League, the priciest option, will cost R140.
“As a lifelong football fanatic, I can't tell you how excited I am for the return of the greatest football league in the world. Pricing is something that all businesses have to review regularly, and we launched with attractive pricing on the new Showmax platform,” Showmax CEO Marc Jury said.
We are thrilled that we’ve been able to keep Showmax Premier League and bundled Showmax plans unchanged, bringing all 380 Premier League matches to millions of football fans in Africa and continuing to focus on making streaming affordable and effortless.”
MultiChoice has fought to keep prices low. Investment in the platform is costing it huge sums in technology, as well as film and television content that customers can consume.
In the year to end March, R1.4bn was spent by Showmax, adding to the weight on the group's cash resources. MultiChoice has previously disclosed that it and NBCUniversal would spend as much as $187m (about R3.43bn) on the platform.
Showmax revenue for the year grew 22% to R1bn, while trading losses increased to R2.6bn. The group said that those losses came in below the expected range of R3bn-R4bn, with some operational expenditure and depreciation being shifted to the 2025 financial year, given the February launch.
The company continues to talk up its slate of local programming, which it says “continues to generate widespread acclaim”.
The show Spinners became the first African series to screen at CanneSeries, before going on to beat the Emmy-winning final season of Succession to win Best Foreign TV Series at the 29th Shanghai TV Festival’s Magnolia Awards. Catch Me A Killer was the first SA series to screen at Series Mania. At Kenya’s Kalasha Awards earlier in 2024, The Real Housewives of Nairobi was named Best TV Show, while Pepeta took home Best TV Drama and the Viewer’s Choice Award.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Showmax prices to increase from August
But all streaming packages that include English Premier League content will remain unchanged
Showmax’s standard and entry-level plan prices will increase by an average of 12% from the beginning of August, Africa's largest paid video streaming service announced on Wednesday.
All streaming packages that include English Premier League content will remain unchanged.
MultiChoice, which is the subject of a takeover bid by French broadcaster Canal+, unveiled an updated version of Showmax in January. The new platform is underpinned by technology from US giant NBCUniversal and was made available to new customers on January 23. Existing customers were migrated in February.
The new platform is available in 44 countries.
When Multichoice launched the refreshed Showmax proposition, the group dropped the price of its main “entertainment” package from R99 to R89 per month to draw in more subscribers. This was seen as a bold move, especially at a time when competitors such as Netflix had been steadily increasing their prices.
Showmax's main package has held steady at R99 since 2015.
Technology investment, inflation and currency weakness across its markets appear to be the probable reasons for the price increase. Earlier in 2024, the group pushed up subscription prices across the board for its DStv offering.
After six months, the company is reverting to this familiar level, while taking its cheapest option from R39 to R45 a month.
Showmax Premier League will cost R69 a month, Showmax Entertainment Mobile + Premier League will be R99 and Showmax Entertainment + Premier League, the priciest option, will cost R140.
“As a lifelong football fanatic, I can't tell you how excited I am for the return of the greatest football league in the world. Pricing is something that all businesses have to review regularly, and we launched with attractive pricing on the new Showmax platform,” Showmax CEO Marc Jury said.
We are thrilled that we’ve been able to keep Showmax Premier League and bundled Showmax plans unchanged, bringing all 380 Premier League matches to millions of football fans in Africa and continuing to focus on making streaming affordable and effortless.”
MultiChoice has fought to keep prices low. Investment in the platform is costing it huge sums in technology, as well as film and television content that customers can consume.
In the year to end March, R1.4bn was spent by Showmax, adding to the weight on the group's cash resources. MultiChoice has previously disclosed that it and NBCUniversal would spend as much as $187m (about R3.43bn) on the platform.
Showmax revenue for the year grew 22% to R1bn, while trading losses increased to R2.6bn. The group said that those losses came in below the expected range of R3bn-R4bn, with some operational expenditure and depreciation being shifted to the 2025 financial year, given the February launch.
The company continues to talk up its slate of local programming, which it says “continues to generate widespread acclaim”.
The show Spinners became the first African series to screen at CanneSeries, before going on to beat the Emmy-winning final season of Succession to win Best Foreign TV Series at the 29th Shanghai TV Festival’s Magnolia Awards. Catch Me A Killer was the first SA series to screen at Series Mania. At Kenya’s Kalasha Awards earlier in 2024, The Real Housewives of Nairobi was named Best TV Show, while Pepeta took home Best TV Drama and the Viewer’s Choice Award.
gavazam@businesslive.co.za
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