2019 saw a number of broadcasters announce plans for their own Netflix-rivalling streaming services, and 2020 will see the streaming wars intensify. To that end DAZN, which specialises in streaming live sports has announced that it plans to expand the platform to a further 200 countries in the coming months.
That’s a rather rapid expansion for a service which initially was available in only nine countries back in 2016.
The company confirmed in a press release that its worldwide expansion will coincide with the fight involving DAZN’s most significant ambassador, Mexican boxer Canelo Alvarez on 2nd May.
“Beginning this spring, most of the world will have access to DAZN and its unmatched schedule of boxing events,” noted DAZN group executive chairman, John Skipper. “Our roster of championship fighters represents some of the world’s most popular athletes and we’ll be working with them to stage spectacular international events for years to come,” he added.
Unfortunately the precise territories that DAZN is expanding to remains unknown, so it’s unclear whether South Africa will be among the 200 country announcement. That decision may come down to broadcasters like MultiChoice and the SABC, both of which are the primary service providers when it comes to the broadcasting of sports events in South Africa.
If DAZN did land in the country, with it having access to some key sporting events such as the English Premier League, NFL, MMA and aforementioned boxing, it could prove a tempting option to threaten the dominance of the likes of SuperSport locally.
The pricing model for DAZN is also quite tempting, with it providing access to the above content and more for roughly $20 (~R309) a month in the United States. If it did arrive in SA, the price may change though, with the company adding that pricing in different regions will vary once the expansion happens.
Either way it looks like there will be yet another streaming service to add to the smorgasbord of offerings hitting the market in 2020.
