KUALA LUMPUR (April 1): Astro Malaysia Bhd is hoping to grow its number of sports subscribers further, which currently make up a third of its total subscriber base, according to its commercial director Azlin Arshad.
“We recognise there is a lot of competition out there, with so many choices or platforms that customers can access sports from and also changes in customer behaviour in terms of how some customers look for highlights.
Obviously, we don’t have the customer base that we used to have for sports, but is it a number that we are happy with? Of course not. Is it a number that we hope to grow? Yes,” Azlin told reporters during the launch of the group’s Best Euro 2020 Viewing Experience today.
The pay-TV operator is anticipating its number of sports package holders to grow with the increasing number of people using its Ultra Box now, she said.
And with the resumption of international sports tournaments worldwide, there has been a much more aggressive rollout of the Ultra Box, she noted.
“With the Ultra Box’s 4K capabilities, we are hoping to bring back more sports customers because this is where it is at. We have brought the future to Astro customers; we have brought the best experience for Astro customers with the Ultra Box,” she said.
On the number of subscribers that have viewed its sports package on traditional channels versus Astro Go, Azlin said Astro Go is a companion app that is available to all existing customers.
A big chunk of Astro Go users watch sports, she said, while noting that a lot of the group’s sports customers are mobile.
At this juncture, however, she could not disclose any specific targets for the group’s sports subscriber base, or the take-up rate for the group’s sports package in the first quarter of this year.
Meanwhile, the group will be updating its sports offering, as more sports meets take place during the year, with the group set to televise competitions such as the English Premier League and the Thomas Cup, according to Astro Head of Sports Lee Choong Khay. Lee also said the group is working to get distribution rights for the Olympics this year.
