MultiChoice to Sell SuperSport United after 31 Years of Ownership

SuperSport United, one of South Africa’s most storied Premier Soccer League (PSL) teams, is being sold to a new entity, Siwelele Football Club — a group linked to the defunct Bloemfontein Celtic — marking the end of a 31-year era of ownership by MultiChoice Group’s broadcasting arm, SuperSport.

The deal, confirmed by SuperSport in a statement on Thursday, follows a closed bidding process and is now awaiting formal approval from PSL management.

“The sale of the club comes as SuperSport makes strategic shifts to allow us to remain the biggest broadcaster in Africa and a leading global competitor,” said SuperSport CEO Rendani Ramovha.

While Ramovha did not elaborate on how the sale directly supports that strategy, analysts believe it’s part of MultiChoice’s broader effort to refocus resources amid growing financial strain and intensifying competition in Africa’s streaming and pay-TV markets.

MultiChoice’s recently published financial results for the year ending March 31, 2025, paint a clear picture of economic turbulence:

• The company lost 1.2 million pay-TV subscribers during the year.
• It reported trading losses of approx. $132 million USD.
• Free cash outflows worsened to approx. $28.7 million USD, driven by reduced profit margins and rising lease costs.
• Even with a 29% cut in capital expenditure, financial stability deteriorated.

A significant portion of these losses has been attributed to the costly relaunch of Showmax, MultiChoice’s streaming platform meant to counter Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and other global players.

In a post-results interview with TechCentral, MultiChoice CEO Calvo Mawela revealed the company is exploring an unbundling of SuperSport channels from its DStv general entertainment packages, allowing consumers to subscribe without sports content — a major strategic shift.

If implemented, it could mark a radical restructuring of DStv’s traditional bundled offering, which has long been anchored by SuperSport’s dominance in sports broadcasting.

The sale ends a 31-year ownership journey that began in July 1994, when M-Net purchased then-Pretoria City Football Club and rebranded it as SuperSport United in 1997.

During this era, the club became one of South Africa’s most successful sides, winning:

• Three consecutive PSL titles (2008, 2009, 2010)
• Nedbank Cup
• MTN8 Cup
• Telkom Knockout

Despite the exit, SuperSport stated its commitment to continue supporting football development and broadcast excellence in Africa.