MultiChoice's video streaming service Showmax expands with Showmax Pro providing a live sports offering from SuperSport.

by Thinus Ferreira

MultiChoice's subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service Showmax is expanding to offer Showmax Pro that will provide a live sports content streaming offering in addition to its general entertainment content carousel.

The Showmax Pro offering is the end-result of the sport beta test on Showmax that has been running since June 2019.

Showmax Pro is launching across sub-Saharan Africa with roll-out in Nigeria and Kenya first, with other countries - likely including South Africa - later. The entire pricess is expected to be completed with 6 to 8 weeks. 

Showmax Pro bundles the existing Showmax entertainment service together with music channels, news, and live sport streaming from SuperSport, and is the first major brand delineation since Showmax launched in 2015.

The additional content offered through Showmax Pro features all Premier League, Serie A, La Liga and PSL games, and other live sport events. 

	Showmax		Showmax Pro
	Showmax	Showmax Mobile	Showmax Pro	Showmax Pro Mobile
Series, movies, kids’ shows, documentaries	✓	✓	✓	✓
IAAF Athletics, pro boxing, major international marathons, & more	-	-	✓	✓
Music channels Trace Urban, Trace Gospel	-	-	✓	✓
News channels Africa News, Euronews, Newzroom Afrika	-	-	✓	✓
Football: all Premier League, Serie A, PSL and La Liga games	-	-	✓	✓
Number of concurrent streams	2	1	2	1
Smartphone and tablet apps	✓	✓	✓	✓
Smart TV, laptop, Android TV, Apple TV apps	✓	-	✓*	-
Maximum video resolution	HD	SD	HD	SD
14-day trial	✓	✓	-	-
*Supported smart TVs: Samsung Tizen (2017-2020), LG WebOS (2014-2020)

Niclas Ekdahl, CEO of the Connected Video division of MultiChoice, says in a statement that  "Showmax is an African video on-demand service with many years' experience operating on this continent".

"We're local-first, which means listening to our customers and delivering African stories told in familiar voices as well as the best that Hollywood has to offer. Our local-first strategy is an advantage because it allows us to tailor our content, apps, packages, and partnerships specifically to what’s most important in Africa."

In June 2019, Showmax began testing sport live-streaming, and the new Showmax Pro service is based on the results of this. 

"The live sport test we ran on Showmax in conjunction with SuperSport has been well received, so that’s forming an integral part of our new Showmax Pro service."

Besides the standard version of Showmax Pro, Showmax will also offer a "mobile-only" version at half the price. 

About the mobile-only option in Africa Niclas Ekdahl says "Mobile usage is mainstream, so having a one-size-fits-all big screen service may not be the best solution here".

"With the mobile-only version of Showmax Pro, anyone with a smartphone in sub-Saharan Africa will be able to get the best African content, the best of Hollywood, and all of the best sporting action. This is something no other service is doing and we think it’s a game-changer.”

The pricing for Showmax and Showmax Pro in Kenya and Nigeria is as follows:

	Showmax		Showmax Pro
	Showmax	Showmax Mobile	Showmax Pro	Showmax Pro Mobile
Kenya	KSh 760	KSh 380	KSh 2100	KSh 1050
Nigeria	NGN 2900	NGN 1450	NGN 6300	NGN 3200

MultiChoice's Showmax makes sports content trial available to all users of the video streaming service as streaming boss Niclas Ekdahl says sports content 'is the obvious next target'.

Days after starting a trial available to just some users earlier this week offering them access to certain sports content, MultiChoice's Showmax has opened the sports content trial to all Showmax consumers.

Showmax has so far repurposed and taken both American studio content that used to be on M-Net(DStv 101) first from the likes of HBO and Showtime, as well M-Net's locally-produced content from its M-Net, kykNET and Mzansi Magic channels.

Showmax will now also piggy-back and use SuperSport content that previously was only accessible to DStv subscribers.

"We're going to trial a bunch of different sports content while keeping Showmax at the R99 price point, and see how our customers interact with the service," says Niclas Ekdahl, MultiChoice's Connected Video CEO, in a statement.

"We’ll be ramping up our live game offerings with everything from selected matches from the best football leagues in Europe to streaming a wide variety of varsity and school sports."

Connected Video runs MultiChoice's online streaming platforms like its subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service Showmax and the temperamental and untrustworthy DStv Now that offers a programming catch-up and a live linear channel streaming experience.

"As of today, sport is officially up and running on Showmax in South Africa - not only magazine shows and highlights clips, but a whole new capability to live-stream games," Showmax said in a statement on Friday.

"It's a first for Showmax that taps into the growing streaming-only customer segment. The price of Showmax remains unchanged at R99 per month."

Showmax said that the new sports content includes live streaming of South Africa's games in the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup and SuperSport Rugby Challenge matches.

The newly added sports content vertical will also include extended highlights from major sports events, and magazines shows taken from SuperSport that will be available to watch as live broadcasts and on a catch up basis.

These include What a Weekend, Showcase, Home, The Final Whistle, Phaka, Inside Edge, In Touch, The Dan Nicholl Show, #borntorugby and FirstXV.

"Adding sport to Showmax is something fundamentally new for us and it’s a big deal," said Niclas Ekdahl.

"We’re preparing for a future when uncapped data is affordable to all in Africa and video-on-demand becomes the norm."

"We've been delivering TV series and movies for almost four years and continue to see strong growth in usage. Sport is the obvious next target and the only way to do that properly is to be able to stream it live."

Showmax's new sport section is available on most Showmax apps and platforms except for Apple TV, Xbox and PlayStation, and some smart TVs, although support will be added for these in the coming months. 

The Showmax sport content is currently available only in South Africa.

It's not yet clear to what extent the taking of content from M-Net and SuperSport is devaluing the existing DStv offering to customers and potential subscribers.

Existing and potential DStv subscribers no longer have to subscribe to MultiChoice's DStv but can get premium content that was only available on M-Net, for instance international fare like Game of Thrones to local series from kykNET and Mzansi Magic, at the same time or even before it is broadcast on M-Net and other channels.