The Athletic is a sports news service that offers in-depth and personalized coverage of professional and college teams, live scores, and special newsletters exclusive to subscribers. You can access it through a subscription, which lets you read all their premium sports journalism on their website or mobile apps. If you're getting billed by them, it's likely for a subscription that renews regularly, giving you continued access to their content. You can manage your subscription and payment details through The Athletic or The New York Times account pages if bundled.
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The process to cancel a subscription to The Athletic is straightforward, either through their website or directly via iOS or Android app subscription management. The steps are clear and easily accessible in the account settings, making cancellation fairly easy for consumers.
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minutes to cancel a Spotify subscription.
How to Cancel The Athletic: Step by Step
If you purchased through The Athletic website:
- Log in to your account on theathletic.com.
- Click on your profile icon in the top right corner.
- Select Account Settings from the dropdown menu.
- Go to the Subscription section.
- Click on Cancel Subscription.
- Follow the prompts to confirm the cancellation.
If you purchased through the App Store:
- Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
- Tap on your name at the top of the screen.
- Select Subscriptions.
- Find The Athletic in your subscriptions list.
- Tap on Cancel Subscription.
- Confirm the cancellation.
If you purchased through Google Play:
- Open the Google Play Store app on your Android device.
- Tap on the menu (three horizontal lines), then select Subscriptions.
- Locate The Athletic subscription.
- Tap on Cancel Subscription.
- Follow the instructions to complete the cancellation.
Tips & Tricks for Canceling The Athletic
- Use the direct subscription settings link: Go to https://theathletic.com/settings/subscriptions/ to attempt cancellation instead of navigating the site menus.
- Create a customer service account and submit a ticket: Contact support persistently via https://theathletic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new and keep following up until a human responds.
- Expect non-functional or missing cancellation buttons: Many users report that the "Manage Subscription" or cancellation links are inactive or unclickable.
- Use polite but firm language: Clearly state you want to cancel immediately and request confirmation of cancellation.
- Escalate by threatening to dispute charges: Mention that you will contact your bank to cancel continuous payment authority or dispute charges if your subscription isn't cancelled promptly.
- Keep proof of cancellation requests: Save all emails and ticket numbers as evidence.
- Try timing around trial endings or renewal periods: Cancel before trial or renewal dates to avoid being charged for the next billing cycle.
- Check your bank or payment service: If cancellation fails, instruct your bank to block or decline payments to The Athletic as a last resort.
- Watch for renewal offers if you just let it expire: Users report being bombarded with discount offers or incentives to re-subscribe after cancellation or letting subscription lapse.
- Be prepared for automated email responses: If initial emails are auto-replies, keep escalating by replying or submitting new requests referencing previous communication.
The Athletic Customer Service Info
If you need assistance, here's how you can get in touch with The Athletic's support team.
Cancel The Athletic Script
Script
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Dear The Athletic Customer Service,
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to request the cancellation of my subscription. Due to some changes in my personal circumstances, I am unable to continue my membership at this time.
I appreciate the quality content you provide, but I need to prioritize my budget right now. Thank you for your understanding, and I would appreciate a confirmation of my cancellation.
Best regards,
Frequently Asked Questions
The Athletic allows subscription cancellation at any time via the account settings page or customer support. Cancellation stops future charges but maintains access until the current billing period ends, except for free trial cancellations which take effect immediately. Refunds are generally not provided, and third-party subscriptions (e.g., via Google Play or iOS) must be canceled through the respective third party.
If you purchased your subscription directly through The Athletic website, you will need to sign into your account to cancel your subscription, which means you will need your password. You can cancel the subscription by navigating to the Your Account page at theathletic.com/settings and clicking Cancel Subscription. If you don't remember your password, you can reset it here: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/forgot-password2/. If your subscription was through iOS or Android in-app purchases, you cancel via the respective app stores and do not need your password for The Athletic.
- Decline in content quality: Subscribers feel the coverage has deteriorated and lacks in-depth sports journalism, shifting towards rankings and less substantive content.
- Loss of writers: Cuts to writers have reduced the volume and quality of original reporting.
- Content shift to social issues: Some users dislike the focus on virtue signaling and activism rather than pure sports coverage.
- Can find similar content for free: Some users cancel because similar sports content is available without charge elsewhere.
- Automatic renewal issues: Complaints about being automatically re-enrolled without clear disclosure or consent.
- Difficulty cancelling subscriptions: Subscribers report cancellation processes as confusing and challenging to navigate.
- No advance renewal notification: Users are unhappy about lack of reminders before subscription fees are renewed.
- No refunds for unintended renewals: Subscribers report being charged multiple times without receiving refunds despite requesting them.
- Generic marketing and win-back attempts: Post-cancellation marketing emails are often impersonal, irrelevant, or offer higher prices than original subscriptions.
- Missed communication opportunities: Lack of follow-up or personalized engagement after cancellation to address subscriber concerns.
You can cancel your The Athletic subscription at any time, but be aware that there are no prorated refunds or credits for any partially used billing periods. Payments are nonrefundable, so if you cancel mid-subscription, you will not get any money back. There are no contracts, early-cancellation fees, or lock-in gimmicks, but the lack of refunds means you essentially pay upfront for the full period once charged.
Before cancelling your subscription to The Athletic, know that you can cancel anytime but there are no prorated refunds and payments made are nonrefundable, so you will not get money back for any unused portion of your subscription period. After cancellation, you will lose access to all member-exclusive content and features immediately or at the end of your current subscription term, depending on the timing of your cancellation. Also, if you violate the Terms of Service and your account is terminated, you lose access without any refund. It is important to consider that the subscription grants you access to premium sports journalism, and cancelling will stop that access, so make sure you have reviewed your remaining subscription time before cancelling.
- Email address associated with your The Athletic account
- Access to your account (username and password) to log in to the website or app
- Identification of your payment platform (direct, iTunes/Apple, Google Play, PayPal, etc.)
- Merchant details from your financial statement if needed to determine payment platform
- Clear cancellation request when contacting support via email or help form
- Request for confirmation of your cancellation (especially if done via email)
We've actually written a step by step guide on how to get a refund from The Athletic. Check it out!
The Easiest Way to Cancel The Athletic
If you’re frustrated trying to cancel your subscription, membership, or bill from The Athletic—or if you didn’t even realize you were being charged—Chargeback can help. Chargeback is a personal subscription manager that automatically detects hidden, recurring charges like Netflix, Hulu, and hundreds of others. With one click, we can cancel unwanted subscriptions, flag suspicious billing, and even initiate refund requests on your behalf. No more waiting on hold or navigating confusing help pages. Just connect your bank or email account, and we’ll take care of the rest.
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Editorial Note: These articles reflect the opinions of Chargeback's writers. Everyone's situation is unique; therefore, it is important to conduct your own research and note that our self-help tools are not guaranteed to help with any specific problem.
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