ESPN Faces Backlash Over New Streaming Paywall

By Erik Gudris | Sunday, January 18, 2026
Photo credit: Rolex

ESPN is currently running ads with the headline “Stream Every Match” to promote its Australian Open coverage in the United States. But the ads may need an asterisk in that headline to fully alert viewers to what it really means.

Tennis watchers in the U.S. woke up Saturday morning to discover that the streaming giant’s online platform, called “Watch ESPN” now includes a new “ESPN Unlimited” tier that features coverage of all the courts in Melbourne over the fortnight of this year’s first Grand Slam. Specifically, coverage of the main show courts, including Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court Arena, and John Cain Arena. 

Officially, “ESPN Unlimited” and the rebranded ESPN+, now “ESPN Select”, launched in August of 2025. 

The new unlimited tier costs $29.99 a month and states, as part of its benefits, “All ESPN networks (ESPN, ESPN2, etc.) and services, including ESPN+.”

The standard tier, which used to be ESPN+, is now called “ESPN Select” and costs $12.99 a month. That tier used to offer matches on all courts, but now it only covers the outer courts in Melbourne. Its benefits state that subscribers with that tier can view “all ESPN+ live events plus ESPN Originals, 30 for 30s and E60s (with ads).”

While at first, it sounds like “ESPN Select” offers full court coverage, that’s not the case, including for live matches and online replays. 

Viewers who have ESPN channels, whether on the streaming platform, cable, or another provider, can still watch matches on the main courts with the network’s two-week coverage. 

The change upset many viewers and tennis writers, who took to social media to complain about having to pay more and to rant at ESPN for, in their minds, making it harder to watch tennis down under.

Streaming platforms raising prices and changing services is nothing new. Viewers, whether they watch sports or not, have had to deal with rising subscription costs, in some cases, year over year.

ESPN raised eyebrows before the start of the Australian Open when it announced that two long-time analysts, Brad Gilbert and Pam Shriver, would no longer be part of the tennis coverage team. 

“Brad Gilbert and Pam Shiver are no longer with ESPN,” an ESPN spokesperson told Tennis Now. “We are grateful to them for their many years of collaboration and wish them well in their future endeavors.”

ESPN’s coverage of the Australian Open started on January 11 and runs through February 1. ESPN’s Australian Open week one TV and Streaming Schedule is here: