Zimbabwe is ranked among Africa’s leading soccer loving nations. Most Zimbabweans especially in urban areas are ardent followers of the English Premier League, Spanish La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga and Italy’s Serie A.
By Shingie Lev Muringi
England’s EPL is the most watched soccer seasonal tournament across the globe and its a game which raises a storm of emotions in Zimbabwe whenever one mentions the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal or Liverpool.
In that regard, it should always be remembered that MultiChoice through their flagship channel SuperSport brought the game alive in Africa, conquering the souls of many through their cutting edge broadcasting visuals which always stir the emotions of Africa’s legion of sports fanatics.
But the recent economic meltdown in Zimbabwe has made it difficult for the local fans to follow their beautiful game since DSTV now demands that all payments be made in foreign currency than plastic money which is accessible to many.
The recent decision by the Zimbabwe High Court to grant an Econet subsidiary, Dr Dish the right to distribute KweseTV content was received with wild celebrations from a cross section of the country’s population which has been feeling hard done by MultiChoice’s prohibitive charges for their bonquets.
DSTv viewers in Zimbabwe are now required to deposit foreign currency in their bank accounts first before subscribing to their various bouquets. This has made life difficult to every citizen who has enjoyed a variety of exciting television programs being aired by Africa’s leading digital content broadcaster since the prevailing cash crisis has affected everyone.
Despite KweseTV making a breakthrough into Zimbabwe’s broadcasting airwaves, DSTv doesn’t look to be scared of this incoming new player in the industry. After a little bit of research on how the terrain should likely in the next five years, the major Question which ought to be asked is: Can KweseTV dislodge DSTv in Zimbabwe??
Yes, KweseTV comes into the African broadcasting market with a disruptive way of airing television content where the Econet Media product simply rides over the robust network infrastructure owned by the Econet Group.
But does KweseTV brings more diversity than DSTv?? A big no! MultiChoice as it stands still offers more than its competition. The very same programs which Kwese is airing have been always constituting DSTV’s various bouquets. The only bait which KweseTV offers to the Zimbabwean market is a cheap bouquet which can be purchased easily via Ecocash and any other local means of payment offered by our banks.
Will Kwese be able to price away a legion of soccer loving fans who have been conquered by DSTV’s loaded sports channel, SuperSport?? As it stands, the honest answer is a BIG NO!!
Zimbabwe is ranked as one of Africa’s leading soccer loving nations with its citizens constituting into the hundreds of millions following the English Premier League. England’s EPL is the most watched soccer seasonal tournament across the globe and its a game which raises a storm of emotions in Zimbabwe whenever one mentions the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal or Liverpool.
SuperSport is a South African group of television channels owned by Multichoice and carried on the DStV satellite platform. It provides sports content in South Africa and abroad. It also provides sports coverage in many other African countries including Zimbabwe.
The channel broadcasts most of the major sporting events and leagues of association football, rugby, cricket, tennis, golf, motorsport, cycling, boxing, wrestling, athletics. It is the former world’s biggest broadcaster of live rugby and cricket been overtaken by Sky Sports, and also the world’s second biggest Premier League broadcaster, broadcasting matches live and, where possible, in HD through the Premier League’s Content Service Strategy. – Chat23
