ESPN has reopened most new NBA articles to all readers, ending the requirement for an ESPN+ subscription, Awful Announcing reported this week.
The company first placed written coverage behind the ESPN+ paywall in 2020 to boost subscriptions. That strategy is now being reversed as ESPN+ loses ground as a standalone product. Subscriber totals have declined, the UFC plans to leave the platform in 2026, and exclusive live events have been scaled back. Even ESPN+ landing pages are redirecting visitors to the network’s primary app.
Reporters and readers had long voiced frustration with the paywall, arguing it limited the reach of written work. With ESPN shifting resources to its flagship app and broader direct-to-consumer streaming efforts, the company has started dismantling barriers around digital articles.
The change is significant for basketball fans. ESPN and ABC remain part of the NBA’s next media rights package alongside NBC and Amazon, and freely accessible written coverage helps the network stay visible in a crowded marketplace.
For readers, the policy means no more passwords or lapsed subscriptions to check recaps or analysis of last night’s game. For ESPN, it signals that ESPN+ is being folded into the main brand, bringing the era of paywalled NBA stories to a close.
Source: Hoops Wire
