Apple TV+
John Ourand
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December 4, 2025
The Apple TV of His Eye
Amid revisions to MLS’s controversial deal with Apple, commissioner Don Garber is defiantly proud of the partnership that will go a long way to defining his legacy in sports media.
Apple’s Red Card
It’s obvious why Apple decided to pay a premium to walk away from its 10-year, multibillion-dollar MLS deal several years ahead of schedule. But with a different dance partner, the league could see its footprint expand significantly in the U.S.
Did Apple Overpay for F1?
Apple’s $140 million annual investment in F1 is a huge bet on its future, even as the data suggests its U.S. popularity may have already peaked. Did Liberty Media pull off the deal of the century? Or does F1 make sense for Apple in ways that it didn’t for ESPN?
The Editors
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August 18, 2025
Cast & Release: Wrangling A-Listers
An illuminating conversation with a trio of talented casting directors—Debby Romano (‘Shrinking’), Melissa Kostenbauder (‘The Studio’), and Rachel Tenner (‘Severance’)—behind three Apple TV+ Emmy-nominated series.
Julia Alexander
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July 31, 2025
Can an Ad Tier Solve Apple TV+?
As Tim Cook touts “double-digit” streaming growth, whatever that means, Hollywood’s most price-insensitive player is facing growing pressure to actually make money from its unprofitable service. Turning on the ad revenue spigot is probably inevitable.
Dylan Byers
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July 11, 2025
Apple Is Offering $150 Million to Stream F1
With ESPN unwilling to match Tim Cook and Eddy Cue’s offer, the U.S. rights to Formula One are almost certainly headed to Apple’s streamer, trading cable TV’s reach for Big Tech revenue. Here’s hoping Cupertino will be a better, more creative, partner to F1 than it was to MLS.
John Ourand
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May 22, 2025
MLB’s Sophie’s Choice
The current market for new sports media deals suggests that we’ve entered an era of belt-tightening for everyone besides the NFL. Now Major League Baseball, in particular, will have to choose between awareness and pure cash.
F1 and Done
Liberty Media’s sales pitch for Formula One’s U.S. media rights has thus far fallen flat due to the asking price, the sport’s time zone problems, and viewership numbers that lag behind social media enthusiasm and a broader cultural hype machine.
Matthew Belloni
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April 11, 2025
The Trump Tariff Pain Index & CAA’s “Offensive” Buyback
News and notes on the entertainment companies most likely to feel the impact of Trump’s tariffs, CAA’s groan-inducing buyback offer for employee equity holders, the many open questions ahead of SNL’s U.K. premiere, and much more.
