South African streaming service Showmax has introduced cheaper entertainment and content packages, as well as new services.
- •A new service called Showmax Premier League mobile plan will cost Ksh. 500 per month.
- •Showmax Entertainment, which used to cost Ksh. 760 per month will now be streamed at Ksh. 650 per month.
- •Showmax Entertainment mobile and Bundled offers go for Ksh. 300 and Ksh. 700 respectively.
By the end of 2023, Showmax surpassed other major streaming services, attaining 40% of the continental market share. However, Netflix reduced subscription prices in Kenya to accommodate more audiences.
In October last year, Multichoice revealed plans to do away with ‘Showmax Pro’ after partnering with ComCast’s Universal and Sky. The company promised to provide quality and original content suited for local audiences at affordable rates. Showmax has also introduced a new technical streaming platform called Peacock which will be active in more than 70 countries.
“Showmax is putting the continent first with a powerful streaming service that will revolutionize streaming in Africa in 2024,” says Calvo Mawela, MultiChoice Group CEO.
Showmax 2.0 will live stream all 380 the English Premier League matches in the new package. The EPL remains popular in the continent, with 250 million fans streaming live on each match day, accounting for 20% of the league’s most ardent streamers worldwide.
- •Streaming top league matches on illegal websites has bothered Multichoice for years.
- •Last year, the company requested the Kenyan government and telecoms to help them crack down on these platforms.
- •However, critics mentioned that Multichoice had stubbornly clung to traditional broadcast models that were not affordable or convenient.
“Showmax Premier League is a game-changing product that gives individuals a ticket to the football they love, wherever they are, on the device they always have with them, at a price that’s impossible not to love,” said CEO of Showmax, Marc Jury.
Multichoice also plans to cooperate with more than 200 money platforms across Africa to widen the payment options for Showmax streamers.
