MultiChoice Group (MCG) and The Walt Disney Company Africa today announced that they have signed an exciting partnership, which will see a significant addition to the sports available to its customers across the continent. The agreement will result in two 24-hour ESPN channels being made available to DStv customers from 29 July, where they will be able to enjoy the very best of US sports.
Featuring every major US sport as well as European football, fans across the continent can now look forward to popular premier American leagues including the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and Major League Baseball (MLB), via ESPN & ESPN2. The channels will also feature live football from the English Football League (EFL), Scottish Premier Football League (SPFL), Dutch Eredivisie and Major League Soccer (MLS), as well as local sports including the West African Football Union (WAFU) Cup of Nations and featured boxing tournaments and events.
DStv customers can look forward to the much anticipated return of the NBA from the bio-bubble on 31 July with two live games on the day. LeBron James and the LA Lakers renew their city rivalry with the LA Clippers on ESPN and later Orlando Magic take on the Brooklyn Nets. The Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season will also take prominence on ESPN, from 29 July with New York Yankees against the Philadelphia Phillies.
During last month’s financial results announcement, MCG reaffirmed its commitment to continue providing the best available content to its customers. This deal allows the company to provide a larger sports offering than ever before, as the home of sports on the continent.
“As Africa’s leading video entertainment platform, we are unwavering in our commitment to ensure that we continue to find the best available content to delight our customers, both now and into the future. We endeavour to deliver both world-class international content as well as the very best in local content, giving our loyal customers a never-ending selection of outstanding entertainment,” says MultiChoice Group CEO, Calvo Mawela.
“From reliving the greatest moments in sports history to seeing those moments being made, ESPN’s compelling content and unique personality will be a complementary addition to MultiChoice Group’s sports offering,” says Christine Service, Senior Vice President and Country Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa. “We are thrilled to be bringing the achievements and triumphs of both international and local athletes, our quality storytelling and innovative programming to a whole new audience of sports fans in Africa”.
Together with the live sports programming, viewers will also be able to catch up on the very latest films, series, news, talk shows and highlights from ESPN’s iconic sports documentary and studio programming.
“In addition to being the home of American sports, ESPN is equally well-known for its dedication to great storytelling, something we as Africa’s most-loved storyteller can identify with,” concludes Mawela.
About ESPN
ESPN, Inc., is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment enterprise featuring a portfolio of more than 50 multimedia sports assets. It has eight U.S. television networks and 26 International Networks, ESPN Audio (broadcast, satellite, digital, podcasts), the leading portfolio of digital sports services in the world, ESPN The Magazine, consumer products, ESPN Events and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Hearst holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.
About MultiChoice Group
MultiChoice Group (MCG), which listed in the Main Board of the JSE on 27 February 2019, is one of the fastest-growing video entertainment providers globally, delivering entertainment products and services to 19.5m households across 50 countries on the African continent. Its track record of more than 30 years is reflective of a commitment to provide audiences with only the best local, sport and international content.
MCG’s strong partnerships with distributors, installers and telecommunication companies, along with its well-established payment solutions, competitive pricing and choice of viewership packages continue to secure its place in the global market, while also providing solutions unique to the African market.
Its direct-to-home (DTH), digital terrestrial television (DTT) and over-the-top (OTT) solutions enable the business to stay relevant and aligned to changing consumer habits while capturing new markets.
Content is at the very core of the business. MCG aims to deliver quality content anywhere, anytime and on any device through a comprehensive video entertainment offering at different price points. As pioneers in African video entertainment, MCG plays an important role in making information and entertainment easily accessible to Africans.
MCG aims to secure content rights in a manner that is cost-effective and reflective of the diversity of its audiences. Its substantial portfolio includes award-winning local content (a key differentiator in its service offering), a leading sports offering (including production capabilities) and access to international content, which is all shared on the group’s platforms: DStv, GOtv, Showmax, M-Net and SuperSport.
MCG has superior technology capability through the security solutions that Irdeto, its technology company, brings to the group. These solutions enable MultiChoice to protect its investment, create new offerings and combat cybercrime. With 50 years’ expertise in software security, Irdeto’s software security solutions and cyber services protect over 5bn devices and applications for some of the world’s best brands.
About The Walt Disney Company EMEA:
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in four business segments: Media Networks; Parks, Experiences and Products; Studio Entertainment; and Direct-to-Consumer and International. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $59.4 billion in its last fiscal year (FY18).
Seeking to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, The Walt Disney Company has been in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for over 80 years, employing thousands of people across the region and reaching consumers in more than 130 countries. The Walt Disney Company’s iconic brands – including Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, National Geographic, FOX and ESPN – are experienced diversely across the region in cinemas, on TV screens, online, at retail, in Disney Stores and at Disneyland Paris.
About The Walt Disney Company Direct-To-Consumer & International
Comprised of the Company’s international business units and various direct-to-consumer streaming services, Direct-to-Consumer and International (DTCI) aligns technology, global content sales and advertising sales into a single business segment to create and deliver personalized entertainment experiences to consumers around the world.
