Back in the summer of 2022, Major League Soccer faced a lot of criticism after it announced its exclusive, all-in, decade-long $2.5 billion streaming deal with Apple TV. Yes, yes, the contract offered guaranteed cash and the appearance of orthogonal thinking. But the league was also leaving traditional television to tie its fortunes to a service that felt like more of a boutique. Apple TV may be a shingle on a $4 trillion market cap company, but its low subscribership (estimated at more than 40 million), general lack of transparency, and unclear vision have long vexed the entertainment industry. On top of that, matches would largely exist behind a Season Pass paywall that cost an additional $15 per month. Not great!