Safaricom partners with MultiChoice, offering Showmax and DStv Stream content to customers, including EPL access, discounts, and flexible subscription options.

Insights At a Glance:

MultiChoice is actively considering unbundling SuperSport into a separate subscription package to cater to sports-only viewers.
The move comes after the company posted a R800 million (about KES 6B) loss and lost 1.2 million DStv subscribers due to high costs and competition from streaming services.
SuperSport continues to thrive with over 47,000 hours of live sports broadcasted, signaling strong demand for a sports-focused offering.

Across Kenya, weekend football culture is sacred. From packed neighborhood joints in Nairobi’s Eastlands to cozy village pubs in Bungoma, DStv is the go-to plug for live matches. But ask any loyal fan and they’ll tell you—keeping that subscription going just to watch Champions League games? Painfully expensive.

For years now, subscribers have pleaded with MultiChoice to create a dedicated SuperSport package—one that cuts out the fluff and focuses purely on sports. And finally, the pay-TV giant seems to be warming up to the idea.

MultiChoice CEO Calvo Mawela recently revealed that the company is actively considering unbundling its SuperSport channels from DStv’s bulky packages. Speaking during the group’s annual results briefing, he explained, “We’ve always had this project… but we’ve now accelerated it to finalize a direction in this financial year.” The idea mirrors what Sky TV did years back—separate packages for sports, entertainment, and general content.

This move couldn’t be coming at a more critical time. MultiChoice just posted a massive headline loss of R800 million (about KES 6 billion) for the year ending March 2025. The company also lost 1.2 million subscribers, citing economic hardship and a global shift toward cheaper streaming, pirated content, and social media videos.

Locally, this tracks. Some Kenyans that I know only re-subscribe to DStv when the UEFA Champions League returns—from the round of 16 onwards—just to avoid paying for a full premium package year-round. Meanwhile, movie buffs have already shifted to platforms like Netflix and Prime Video. So why keep paying for channels they’ll never use?

SuperSport, however, has continued to deliver knockout performances. The 2025 financial report shows it aired over 47,000 hours of live sports, covering more than 1,000 events. From UEFA and La Liga matches to the Olympics and Springbok Tests, the network remains a powerhouse. Viewer retention has been strong—especially thanks to accessible sports on lower-tier packages, like La Liga, and expanded Champions League coverage.

And it’s not just football fans who’ve noticed. Viewership surged across rugby, cricket, and even UFC. SuperSport Schools, which focuses on grassroots sports, saw a 46% spike in app users. Clearly, the appetite for sports-only content is massive. MultiChoice is also betting big on its streaming service, Showmax, which saw a 44% rise in subscribers after investing in local content. If Showmax can thrive with niche content, why not give SuperSport the same autonomy?

A standalone SuperSport package could be the game-changer fans have been begging for—and the lifeline MultiChoice desperately needs. As we wait for official confirmation, I’m pretty sure that if they get this right, MultiChoice might just win back the hearts—and wallets—of sports fans across Kenya and Africa at large.