Netflix for Football
Premier League to launch streaming service.
The Lowdown
Premier League CEO Richard Masters announced at the recent Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London that the organisation will follow the likes of the NBA, NFL, and Formula 1 by launching its own streaming service. The move would cut out the traditional broadcasting middleman and allow the league to interface directly with customers.
What We Know So Far
The platform will initially launch in Singapore through a partnership with a local telecommunications provider. Dubbed Premier League+, the service will allow fans to stream all 380 live matches, alongside dedicated content produced at the new Premier League Studios hub in Olympia, London.
Masters avoided over-speculating but indicated that Singapore will serve as a learning phase. If successful, the model could be replicated in other territories.
Implications for Sub-Saharan Africa
In Sub-Saharan Africa, SuperSport has long operated as a near-monopoly, offering a variety of packages targeted at football fans. However, with the proliferation of alternative content platforms such as Apple TV+, Disney+, and Netflix, many DStv subscribers already jumped ship and this development will not help their cause.
This development could accelerate churn, as football fans may soon have the option to pay per game — directly from the source.
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