This seems like an increasingly common modern web pattern: load the article (no one cares about that), and all of the ads and trackers (which is what really matters), then use JavaScript to throw up a popover and do whatever you can to prevent people from using readability mode or killing the popup.

I'm fine with paywalls, but if you want to charge money for what you write, then just do it. Don't waste my bandwidth for something I'm not supposed to see. Put up a login page or something.