Concern for Sports Fans as SuperSport Loses 'Power'

DStv’s SuperSport faces major shake-up under Canal+ rule

Key topics:Canal+ centralises sports rights, strips SuperSport powerStreamers threaten DStv’s sports dominanceLocal content delays raise SABC-style concernsSign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, busin…

Concern for sports fans as SuperSport loses 'power'

Just recently, some questions were raised from sports fans in South Africa after it was confirmed that SuperSport would not be televising the ongoing Winter Olympics. It’s now come to light that MultiChoice’s new owner, Canal+, has stripped SuperSport of its acquisition power when it comes to deciding what sports will be carried on the powerhouse broadcaster in South Africa. What does this mean for SuperSport? With Canal+ reportedly looking at c…

Is Canal+ a big minus for sports fans?

The new owners of SuperSport have come under fire because of their decision to cut back on coverage, including the Winter Olympics.

If Sport Leaves, What Is DStv Selling

Sport anchored pay television in southern Africa because rights ownership secured audiences. That arrangement is weakening as control over SuperSport moves from Johannesburg to decision-makers at Canal+ in Paris, placing acquisition choices within a different financial and strategic context. The change is structural rather than cosmetic. Acquisition authority once held locally now sits with executives … The post Without Sport, DStv Has to Sell S…

SuperSport Loses Sports Buying Power as Canal+ Takes Control

MultiChoice’s new French owner, Canal+, has stripped SuperSport of its authority to acquire sports rights, with all decisions now made directly from Paris as part of a major cost-cutting drive . Veteran broadcasting journalist Thinus Ferreira told 702 that Canal+ has told investors it must reduce expenses. However, the company cannot fire staff for three years, so it is looking at other ways to cut costs . “One of the things they are doing is th…

Canal+ Strips SuperSport's Power, Delays Local Shows In DStv Cost Blitz

The new French owners of MultiChoice are moving swiftly to cut costs, stripping SuperSport of its sports-buying power, delaying local production deals, and signalling a leaner future for DStv that has industry veterans warning of cultural missteps and competitive vulnerability. Since completing its USD 3 B acquisition of MultiChoice in September 2025, Groupe Canal+ has made clear that Showmax’s mounting losses—EUR 370 M over three years—are “not…