diff --git a/mlbTVOS/ViewModels/GamesViewModel.swift b/mlbTVOS/ViewModels/GamesViewModel.swift
index 308c8fd..accb245 100644
--- a/mlbTVOS/ViewModels/GamesViewModel.swift
+++ b/mlbTVOS/ViewModels/GamesViewModel.swift
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ final class GamesViewModel {
     @ObservationIgnored
     private var refreshTask: Task<Void, Never>?
     @ObservationIgnored
+    private var lastLoadDateString: String?
+    @ObservationIgnored
     private var authenticatedVideoFeedCache: [String: AuthenticatedVideoFeedCacheEntry] = [:]
     @ObservationIgnored
     private var videoShuffleBagsByModel: [String: [String: [URL]]] = [:]
@@ -105,12 +107,21 @@ final class GamesViewModel {
     func startAutoRefresh() {
         stopAutoRefresh()
         refreshTask = Task { [weak self] in
+            var ticksSinceFullLoad = 0
             while !Task.isCancelled {
                 try? await Task.sleep(for: .seconds(60))
                 guard !Task.isCancelled else { break }
                 guard let self else { break }
-                // Refresh if there are live games or active streams
-                if !self.liveGames.isEmpty || !self.activeStreams.isEmpty {
+                ticksSinceFullLoad += 1
+
+                // Full schedule reload every 10 minutes (or immediately on day change)
+                let today = Self.dateFormatter.string(from: Date())
+                let dayChanged = self.lastLoadDateString != nil && self.lastLoadDateString != today
+                if dayChanged || ticksSinceFullLoad >= 10 {
+                    ticksSinceFullLoad = 0
+                    await self.loadGames()
+                } else if !self.liveGames.isEmpty || !self.activeStreams.isEmpty {
+                    // Fast score refresh every 60s when games are live
                     await self.refreshScores()
                 }
             }
@@ -122,6 +133,14 @@ final class GamesViewModel {
         refreshTask = nil
     }
 
+    func refreshIfDayChanged() async {
+        let today = Self.dateFormatter.string(from: Date())
+        if lastLoadDateString != today {
+            logGamesViewModel("Day changed (\(lastLoadDateString ?? "nil") → \(today)), reloading games")
+            await loadGames()
+        }
+    }
+
     private func refreshScores() async {
         let statsGames = await fetchStatsGames()
         guard !statsGames.isEmpty else { return }
@@ -227,6 +246,7 @@ final class GamesViewModel {
             errorMessage = "No games found"
         }
 
+        lastLoadDateString = todayDateString
         isLoading = false
     }
 
diff --git a/mlbTVOS/Views/GameCenterView.swift b/mlbTVOS/Views/GameCenterView.swift
index 72da1d3..02e6e38 100644
--- a/mlbTVOS/Views/GameCenterView.swift
+++ b/mlbTVOS/Views/GameCenterView.swift
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ struct GameCenterView: View {
                 VideoPlayer(player: player)
                     .ignoresSafeArea()
                     .onAppear { player.play() }
+                    .onDisappear { player.pause() }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/mlbTVOS/Views/MultiStreamView.swift b/mlbTVOS/Views/MultiStreamView.swift
index 8a5f163..b2d3a22 100644
--- a/mlbTVOS/Views/MultiStreamView.swift
+++ b/mlbTVOS/Views/MultiStreamView.swift
@@ -353,6 +353,7 @@ private struct MultiStreamTile: View {
     @State private var hasError = false
     @State private var startupPlaybackTask: Task<Void, Never>?
     @State private var qualityUpgradeTask: Task<Void, Never>?
+    @State private var werkoutMonitorTask: Task<Void, Never>?
     @State private var clipTimeLimitObserver: Any?
     @State private var isAdvancingClip = false
     @StateObject private var playbackDiagnostics = MultiStreamPlaybackDiagnostics()
@@ -447,7 +448,13 @@ private struct MultiStreamTile: View {
             startupPlaybackTask = nil
             qualityUpgradeTask?.cancel()
             qualityUpgradeTask = nil
-            if let player { removeClipTimeLimit(from: player) }
+            werkoutMonitorTask?.cancel()
+            werkoutMonitorTask = nil
+            if let player {
+                removeClipTimeLimit(from: player)
+                player.pause()
+            }
+            player = nil
             playbackDiagnostics.clear(streamID: stream.id, reason: "tile disappeared")
         }
         #if os(tvOS)
@@ -557,7 +564,7 @@ private struct MultiStreamTile: View {
 
         if !Self.audioSessionConfigured {
             do {
-                try AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setCategory(.playback)
+                try AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setCategory(.playback, mode: .moviePlayback)
                 try AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setActive(true)
                 Self.audioSessionConfigured = true
                 logMultiView("startStream audio session configured id=\(stream.id)")
@@ -604,13 +611,14 @@ private struct MultiStreamTile: View {
         avPlayer.currentItem?.preferredForwardBufferDuration = 2
 
         self.player = avPlayer
+        // Set mute state BEFORE playback to prevent audio spikes
+        viewModel.attachPlayer(avPlayer, to: stream.id)
         playbackDiagnostics.attach(
             to: avPlayer,
             streamID: stream.id,
             label: stream.label,
             onPlaybackEnded: playbackEndedHandler(for: avPlayer)
         )
-        viewModel.attachPlayer(avPlayer, to: stream.id)
         scheduleStartupPlaybackRecovery(for: avPlayer)
         scheduleQualityUpgrade(for: avPlayer)
         logMultiView("startStream attached player id=\(stream.id) muted=\(avPlayer.isMuted) startupResolution=\(multiViewStartupResolution) fastStart=true calling playImmediately(atRate: 1.0)")
@@ -851,9 +859,11 @@ private struct MultiStreamTile: View {
         installClipTimeLimit(on: player)
 
         // Monitor for failure and auto-skip to next clip
-        Task { @MainActor in
+        werkoutMonitorTask?.cancel()
+        werkoutMonitorTask = Task { @MainActor in
             for checkDelay in [1.0, 3.0] {
                 try? await Task.sleep(for: .seconds(checkDelay))
+                guard !Task.isCancelled else { return }
                 let postItemStatus = player.currentItem?.status
                 let error = player.currentItem?.error?.localizedDescription ?? "nil"
                 logMultiView(
diff --git a/mlbTVOS/Views/SingleStreamPlayerView.swift b/mlbTVOS/Views/SingleStreamPlayerView.swift
index dcfa7ef..79981cd 100644
--- a/mlbTVOS/Views/SingleStreamPlayerView.swift
+++ b/mlbTVOS/Views/SingleStreamPlayerView.swift
@@ -583,11 +583,11 @@ struct SingleStreamPlayerView: UIViewControllerRepresentable {
 
     static func dismantleUIViewController(_ uiViewController: AVPlayerViewController, coordinator: Coordinator) {
         logSingleStream("dismantleUIViewController start isPiPActive=\(coordinator.isPiPActive)")
+        coordinator.clearDebugObservers()
         if coordinator.isPiPActive {
-            logSingleStream("dismantleUIViewController skipped — PiP is active")
+            logSingleStream("dismantleUIViewController — PiP active, observers cleared but keeping player")
             return
         }
-        coordinator.clearDebugObservers()
         uiViewController.player?.pause()
         uiViewController.player = nil
         logSingleStream("dismantleUIViewController complete")
diff --git a/mlbTVOS/mlbTVOSApp.swift b/mlbTVOS/mlbTVOSApp.swift
index 8067369..9e30a33 100644
--- a/mlbTVOS/mlbTVOSApp.swift
+++ b/mlbTVOS/mlbTVOSApp.swift
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import SwiftUI
 @main
 struct mlbTVOSApp: App {
     @State private var viewModel = GamesViewModel()
+    @Environment(\.scenePhase) private var scenePhase
 
     init() {
         configureAudioSession()
@@ -13,6 +14,11 @@ struct mlbTVOSApp: App {
         WindowGroup {
             ContentView()
                 .environment(viewModel)
+                .onChange(of: scenePhase) { _, newPhase in
+                    if newPhase == .active {
+                        Task { await viewModel.refreshIfDayChanged() }
+                    }
+                }
         }
     }
 
@@ -24,5 +30,23 @@ struct mlbTVOSApp: App {
         } catch {
             print("Failed to set audio session: \(error)")
         }
+
+        NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(
+            forName: AVAudioSession.interruptionNotification,
+            object: AVAudioSession.sharedInstance(),
+            queue: .main
+        ) { notification in
+            guard let info = notification.userInfo,
+                  let typeValue = info[AVAudioSessionInterruptionTypeKey] as? UInt,
+                  let type = AVAudioSession.InterruptionType(rawValue: typeValue) else { return }
+
+            if type == .ended {
+                let options = (info[AVAudioSessionInterruptionOptionKey] as? UInt)
+                    .flatMap(AVAudioSession.InterruptionOptions.init) ?? []
+                if options.contains(.shouldResume) {
+                    try? AVAudioSession.sharedInstance().setActive(true)
+                }
+            }
+        }
     }
 }