SuperSport Loses Control As Canal Plus Pulls Sports Rights To Paris

SuperSport, once the undisputed heartbeat of sports broadcasting in South Africa and across the continent, is no longer calling the shots. Following last year’s massive $3 billion acquisition of MultiChoice, French media giant Canal Plus has quietly shifted the power centre of sports rights acquisition from Randburg to Paris. And South African viewers are already feeling the consequences.

A New Era In Sports Broadcasting

For decades, SuperSport shaped the African sporting experience, from rugby and football to niche global events that earned loyal followings over time. But with Canal Plus now in full control of the purse strings, all decisions on which sports to buy or drop are made in Europe.

Veteran broadcasting journalist Thinus Ferreira told 702 that the restructuring reflects Canal Plus’ long-term strategy to cut costs and consolidate global operations. Because the company is bound by a three-year freeze on staff retrenchments, it is instead centralising key decisions.

Ferreira put it plainly: “Our new European masters are deciding for us which sports they will buy or not, directly from Paris.”

What Viewers Have Already Lost

The impact is no longer hypothetical. SuperSport has already missed out on acquiring major events it has traditionally carried. For the first time in decades, the Winter Olympics were nowhere to be found on DStv. The World Darts Championships suffered the same fate.

For millions of households that treat DStv as synonymous with sports, these noticeable gaps signal a shift in the broadcaster’s identity. SuperSport’s historic strength has always been its ability to curate programming for an African audience with distinct tastes and sporting traditions.

Now, that power sits thousands of kilometres away.

Ripple Effects Across Sub-Saharan Africa

While the restructuring is most visible in South Africa, it reverberates across SuperSport’s massive African footprint. Markets such as Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana, where sports broadcasting is deeply woven into everyday culture, now depend on decisions made in Paris rather than local expertise.

The concern is not just missing out on one or two tournaments, but whether the new programming choices will reflect what African audiences value most. A centralised European model may prioritise global cost efficiencies over the continent’s unique viewing habits.

For a broadcaster that built its reputation on knowing its audience, this shift in authority risks weakening emotional loyalty that took decades to build.

Canal Plus Expands While Control Shrinks Locally

When Canal Plus acquired MultiChoice in July 2025, it made sweeping promises: more than R26 billion in investment toward local content, technology upgrades, and innovation. With a combined subscriber base of more than 40 million across Africa, the merger created one of the largest media players on the continent.

Yet the consolidation of sports rights raises questions about how much local control remains. SuperSport, DStv, and GOtv have long relied on tailored programming to stay competitive against rising digital challengers.

Without that autonomy, viewers fear a decline in cultural and sporting relevance.

The Streaming Wars Close In

Canal Plus’ cost-saving strategy is unfolding at a time when global streaming giants are aggressively expanding their sports portfolios. Platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have deep financial reserves, making them formidable competitors for premium rights packages.

Ferreira warns that this could reshape the media landscape: “It is only a matter of time before streamers secure more sports, the lifeblood of traditional pay-TV.”

If SuperSport loses too many flagship events, the risk is clear: loyal subscribers may begin to see less value in DStv, and the broader African pay-TV model could face unprecedented pressure.

A Turning Point For African Sports Viewership

The centralisation of SuperSport’s decision-making marks a dramatic change in how sports will reach African fans. What once felt like a homegrown network with a finger on the continent’s pulse is becoming part of a globalised machine.

For South Africans, who grew up relying on SuperSport for everything from the Soweto Derby to global spectacles, this shift is more than a business restructure. It represents a cultural change, one that could reshape the future of sports broadcasting in Africa.

If Canal Plus wants to keep the trust of millions of African households, it will need to prove that decisions made in Paris can still honour the local passion that built SuperSport into a continental powerhouse.

{Source:Business Insider}

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