[salad-tycoon]

The answer is because Apple has decided you should be a soccer (football) fan. They are the tastemakers and they are making your taste. You might not care about football/soccer today but next year? After enough time investment in related drama shows and documentaries? Maybe then. It’s the same reason why their shows are very progressive and avant-garde.

You'll come around, just give it time.

To their credit, they do it pretty tastefully but still blatantly.

[halJordan]

That's not the reason (although it is the topical Apple hate). Apple services are just there to make profits, that's the only reason. Apple's services (esp TV and News) employ all the worst dark patterns and anti-user tricks to extract money. It has nothing to do with taste or Apple's opinionated stances.