I would happily watch ads if they were non-intrusive and non-interrupting ads like side banners that don’t cause popups, or product placement inside videos.
I would also pay for a platform where 100% of the money goes to paying for hosting and paying the creators.
Neither of these things are happening, so yes, I would rather donate to support piracy.
At least we will still be able to see C/2023 A3 in early October without any equipment at all. I’ve had this one marked on my calendar for quite a while now.