DStv is preparing to unbundle SuperSport into a standalone package — find out how it impacts viewers. From NOWinSA: Stories Shaping South Africa Today.
- Standalone sports: DStv is planning a separate SuperSport subscription to win back fans.
- Massive losses: 2.8 million subscribers lost and R1.7 billion in revenue gone over two years.
- Premium collapse: Only 1 million Premium subscribers remain in South Africa.
- Streaming struggles: Showmax growth hasn’t met expectations and is unsustainably costly.
- Economic pressure: Rising living costs and cheaper streaming alternatives are major factors.
DStv considers standalone SuperSport to stem subscriber exodus
MultiChoice is fast-tracking the launch of a standalone SuperSport package, aiming to stop the bleeding of its DStv subscriber base. With nearly 2.8 million customers lost and R1.7 billion in subscription revenue wiped out over the past two years, this initiative comes as a critical effort to regain lost viewership.
“We’ve accelerated that project in terms of getting us to finalise which direction we’re going to take in this financial year,” confirmed CEO Calvo Mawela. “We are considering all options as part of a broader product offering going forward.”
“As part of our product offering, we have always had this project that we ran every year where we look at our packaging structures, similar to what Sky did some years back where they had a basic package, they had a sports package on the side (and) they had a general entertainment package on the side,” Mawela said.
Premium package in free fall
In South Africa, the Premium tier — which includes full access to SuperSport — has plummeted to just 1 million subscribers. Compact has 2.1 million, and Family and Access packages collectively hold 4.7 million.
Tim Jacobs, MultiChoice’s CFO, highlighted the crushing financial toll: “Households are struggling financially, and many have no choice but to give up their DStv subscriptions.” He added that “we’ve lost R1.7 billion in subscription revenue over the past two years.”
The situation worsened in the wake of recent DStv 2025 price hikes, which sparked further cancellations among price-sensitive viewers.
Meanwhile, high-profile controversies like the fallout from the Podcast and Chill cancellation have also affected brand sentiment.
The SuperSport solution
By offering SuperSport as a standalone option, subscribers would no longer need to pay for entertainment channels they don’t use — particularly appealing when sports seasons dip into off-season lulls.
The news will be a welcomed move by many, like one South African social media observer, @XekiHlongwane, who had previously suggested on X that DStv must introduce a dedicated sports package.
“DSTV has missed the point, they must have ONLY Sports Package 📦 @ +_R100 not their outdated movies & irrelevant channels, that’s where they can regain their audience/ revenue.”
Another X user, @Kenyan025, however, offered a different perspective, expressing concern over what he termed “uncompetitive package pricing.”
“The problem with DSTV is the pricing of their packages. Their packages are still expensive even in this internet-enabled streaming era. Why would anyone pay $90 pm to DStv when they can pay Paramount Plus $15 for the same service?
These old corporations need to adjust to the 21st century or they will go obsolete.
DStv doesn’t need new channels, they already have many sports channels. What they need to have are competitive package prices.” Source
Pressures across Africa & streaming setbacks
Subscriber losses aren’t limited to South Africa. Over 1.4 million subscribers were also lost from DStv and GOtv in Nigeria amid four price hikes.
Across the continent, Showmax has seen growth but not enough to offset losses. “Although it is doing relatively well, the level of growth is still not what we had in our original business plan,” admitted Jacobs. He warned: “The one thing we are absolutely clear about is that the level of Showmax’s expenses is not sustainable.”
What comes next?
MultiChoice aims to finalize the standalone SuperSport model by March 2026. The rollout could also involve flexible bolt-on sports packs — a structure previously piloted under the 2021 DStv Flex concept.
The current Premium package sits at R979/month, often prompting cancellations during inactive sporting periods. With the repo rate cut to 7.25%, some households may find the standalone option more affordable — especially if they only care about sports.
Further momentum comes from youth engagement: the SuperSport Schools app grew by 46% to 1.2 million users, underscoring a continued appetite for live sports.
Canal+ Acquisition & broader strategy
As French broadcaster Canal+ seeks regulatory approval for its takeover of MultiChoice, comparisons are being drawn. Canal+ already offers a €34.99 sports-only bundle in Europe.
Some analysts argue Canal+ wouldn’t dismantle existing bundling, while others predict this move is essential to remain competitive in Africa’s evolving media landscape.
The impact on subscribers
After years of subscriber dissatisfaction and fierce competition from streaming services, the launch of a standalone SuperSport package could finally deliver what sports fans have been demanding — and what DStv deeply needs.
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