The Onion wants to test the limits of wackiness in college football by sponsoring a bowl game

As Adele as soon as sang, “We might’ve had all of it,” and we nonetheless would possibly if The Onion CEO Ben Collins will get his want.

The Onion CEO particulars wild potential bowl recreation plans throughout latest “Pablo Torre Finds Out” episode

In Thursday’s version of “Pablo Torre Finds Out,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning podcast host sat down with Collins and mentioned the satirical newspaper’s efforts to sponsor a university soccer bowl recreation, which started with a social media submit two years in the past when Collins joked, “We’re solely two years away from The Onion Premium Intercourse Bowl™ that includes the worst two groups within the nation. It is 9 quarters lengthy and there’s no penalty for roughing the kicker.”

After the submit gained traction, Collins pursued faculty bowl recreation sponsorship in earnest, ultimately connecting with New Orleans Bowl organizers. The Higher New Orleans Sports activities Basis denied the request, nonetheless, with Collins explaining politics and The Onion’s “Sickos Man” mascot, a cartoon initially made for The Onion in 2015 of a frayed man leering via a window which has develop into an unofficial faculty soccer mascot through the years for individuals who get pleasure from essentially the most perverse the game has to supply, as enjoying roles within the choice.

Undeterred, Collins informed Torre that he stays fascinated about having The Onion sponsor a bowl recreation whereas providing some concepts being brainstormed for a possible broadcast.

Throughout pre-game, the soccer utilized in 1869’s first ever faculty soccer recreation can be pushed onto the sector in a wheelchair. The sales space, led by Mayne, would characteristic a solid of characters together with native enterprise homeowners, sweepstakes winners and a university soccer historian. With tv advert area hooked up to bowl sponsorship, throughout breaks, The Onion would market faux merchandise equivalent to Canine Blood (it makes you shake, however in a great way).

The in-game expertise guarantees it personal set of delights, together with a “Handshake Cam” to switch the “Kiss Cam,” an “Ejection Cam,” the place mascots would take away attendees from their seats and the 1993 blockbuster “Jurassic Park” airing on the jumbotron as counterprogramming.

In a social media submit Thursday, Collins wrote that a variety of bowls stay sponsorless with somewhat over a month till bowl season kicks off, preserving the dream of an Onion-sponsored bowl recreation alive.

“The No. 1 manner to assist proper now’s to get the paper, assist us with payments, and assist us beat Jeff Bezos,” who owns The Washington Put up, which sits straight above The Onion because the fourth-largest newspaper in america.

“If this may not fund unbiased print journalism, I do not know what’s going to,” Torre stated close to the conclusion of Thursday’s episode.

For a sport as wild and chaotic as faculty soccer, The Onion can be the proper bowl sponsor. Whereas the thought could have began as a joke, somebody significantly must make it occur.