Downtown follows Universal and Warner Music’s footsteps in Africa
We look at Downtown Music Holdings’ move to establish a presence in Africa and PFL Africa’s strategy to get mass appeal for its MMA push on the continent.
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In today’s Digest, we discuss:
Downtown Music’s Africa launch
PFL Africa’s bet on the rising popularity of mixed martial arts in Africa
Center Spread 🗞️
American music rights and management platform establishes presence in Africa
Downtown Music Holdings has joined industry giants Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group in establishing a presence in Africa with the launch of Downtown Music Publishing Africa.
The new entity, launched in Johannesburg on May 27, 2025, emerges from a rebranding of Sheer Publishing Africa, a South African company that Downtown acquired in 2020.
Sheer has built an impressive catalog of over 370,000 titles featuring both local and international works in its almost three decades of existence. The company works with artists across genres like Amapiano, Kwaito, and Hip-Hop, representing stars such as Nasty C and Iyanya, alongside talents like Uganda’s Joshua Baraka and South Africa’s Lucas Raps.
According to Downtown, the rebrand represents "more than a visual refresh" and marks a deeper alignment with its vision for global expansion. The company says the move will deepen its cultural footprint and create new opportunities for creators across Africa and beyond.
The newly launched Downtown Music Publishing Africa is expected to leverage the American music rights and management company's international network spanning 145 countries to serve African artists. It will offer services such as royalty administration, client support, and new tools like Curve, its proprietary global royalty accounting platform, as well as Neighbouring Rights Administration, which the company says "will create new income streams for performers and rights holders across the continent."
"Africa is one of the most dynamic creative regions in the world," said Emily Stephenson, President of Downtown Music Publishing. "Through DMP Africa, we are investing not just in infrastructure, but in long-term relationships that will shape the future of the music industry."
PFL Africa wants “millions” of African households to see its fights
Professional Fighters League (PFL) Africa is gearing up for its debut tournament in Cape Town this July, and media distribution is central to its growth strategy.
CEO Elias Schulze told Semafor that PFL Africa is in advanced talks with pay-TV operators in East and West Africa, as well as several free-to-air broadcasters, aiming to bring mixed martial arts (MMA) into “millions” of African households. These deals would add to existing partnerships with DAZN, Canal+, and MultiChoice.
Africa’s appetite for combat sports is growing. DAZN recently signed a deal to air Nigeria’s Dambe boxing globally, while Uganda’s soft ground wrestling has gone viral.
PFL Africa was announced in 2024 as a regional extension of the U.S.-based MMA league. The Cape Town tournament is the first of four scheduled events this year. Schulze called it a “launchpad” for a league with pan-African ambitions.
Four more fights have been scheduled to be held this year, and they will take place in Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Kenya, Rwanda, and Nigeria. Fighters will earn up to $100,000, with additional win bonuses and guaranteed payments.
PFL Africa is betting on fight sports’ untapped commercial value in Africa. In Communiqué 58, we argued that the African Warriors Fighting Championship’s momentum could set a precedent for investment on the continent, but it will require localized strategies, especially around mobile access, data costs, and payment systems.
Unlike AWFC’s more traditional grassroots style, PFL Africa offers a more polished, global-facing approach. Whether it becomes a feeder league or evolves into a self-sustaining league, it is up for the showing. We’ll be watching closely to see how it plays out.
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