MacVoices #26085: TV+ Talk - Tehran Tragedy, MLS Access Changes, and Apple’s Sports Expansion

What this episode covers

Charlotte Henry and Chuck Joiner discuss major Apple TV news, starting with the tragic death of Tehran co-creator Dana Idan. They then discuss MLS Season Pass returning with improved access, including the implications of reduced paywall friction and recap viewer options. Finally, Apple’s sports distribution deal via EverPass and award wins tied to the F1 film highlight the evolution and excellence of the streaming services’s options. Hijack stands out as a specific example, with character depth bringing a different dimension to a familiar genre. Show Notes: Chapters: 00:22 Show setup and Apple TV’s busy news cycle 00:55 Tehran co-creator death and production context 05:40 MLS returns and season/timing discussion 07:09 Messi vs. Son, coverage notes, and commentary quirks 08:08 Dropping the extra MLS paywall and accessibility debate 10:16 Messi’s deal and “piece of the action” question 13:30 Apple TV match recaps and highlights experience 16:04 Deal changes, growth expectations, and subscription fatigue 21:15 Youth soccer growth and the “round ball” future 23:25 EverPass distribution deal and Apple’s live-sports strategy 26:27 Broadcast TV surrender and the new streaming reality 30:29 F1 sound-team awards and prestige momentum 35:13 Hijack season talk and what makes it work 39:59 Wrap-up and where to follow Links: Tragedy as Tehran Co-Creator Found Dead https://theaddition.net/news/tragedy-as-tehran-co-creator-found-dead/ EverPass in Apple TV distribution deal https://www.sportcal.com/newsletters/everpass-in-apple-tv-distribution-deal/ F1: The Movie’ sound team get a weekend of awards https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/02/23/f1-the-movie-sound-team-get-a-weekend-of-awards Apple’s “The Studio” and “Mr. Scorsese” score at the 78th Annual Directors Guild Awards https://www.apple.com/uk/tv-pr/news/2026/02/apples-the-studio-and-mr-scorsese-score-at-the-78th-annual-directors-guild-awards/ Guests: Charlotte Henry is a media junkie, covering how Apple is not just a revolutionary tech firm, but a revolutionary media firm. She is based in London, writes and broadcasts for various outlets, and is the author of Not Buying It, an examination of fake news. You can find her on her The Addition blog, her podcast, in her The Addition newsletter on substack, and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Support: Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon http://patreon.com/macvoices Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect: Web: http://macvoices.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner http://www.twitter.com/macvoices Mastodon: https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner MacVoices Page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/ MacVoices Group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe: Audio in iTunes Video in iTunes Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher: Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss