Earlier today, Eleven Warriors pulled the ol' April Fools' Day internet ruse by publishing a satirical press release about Ohio State pawning the naming rights of the iconic Horseshoe to Columbus-based Safelite AutoGlass.
Andrew Lind, 11W's recruiting director and joke mastermind, made it obvious at the end:
Of course, the best part of the deal is that it's been entirely fabricated. But seeing as it's April Fools' Day, we couldn't let the day go by without trying to pull one over on those who don't read all the way to the end of an article.
What made this joke work was the believability enabled by the sublime choice of sponsor. No Buckeye fan who pays attention would be shocked by a press release like that. If it weren't April 1, there would already be blood in the Olentangy River, obvious reveal or not.
The internet remains amazing though because people (author included) don't pay attention to calendars. Nor do they require themselves to read an article in entirety before commenting on it.
These are the best reactions from 11W's social media feeds (moderate cussing, ahoy):
I am not a fundamentalist tradionalist but @OhioStAthletics @OhioStateFB @OhioState should have never sold out #ohio stadium, an institution
— GreatAmerica (@BUCKS4REAL) April 1, 2017
It's always gonna be Ohio Stadium to me.
— Elizabeth (@osugirl47) April 1, 2017
No offense but Safelite Auto Glass can kiss my ASS! That's "The Shoe" and Ohio Stadium until the lord takes me! Simple as that! https://t.co/TQbbMFhhOF
— Red Bull (@syko4sports) April 1, 2017
@11W The real question is why the hell are we tied with UCF 10-10?! THROW IT DEEP!!!!
— Matthew (@MattGustafson02) April 1, 2017
@11W That's bad! At least it's not something like Value City! No one would do that! AF
— lou (@CaddyshackLou) April 1, 2017
There's an April Fools fake article going around saying Ohio StadiumOSU's football stadiumis being renamed Safelite Stadium.
— Yossarian (@BEdward26) April 1, 2017
Why? @OhioStAthletics #SafeliteStadium never. It will always be Ohio stadium to me. Boo!
— alejandro ramirez (@AKA_Alejo) April 1, 2017
And just like that another piece of tradition gone. Welcome to Safelite stadium here on the banks of the Olentangy where The Shoe used to be
— Jonny (@jonnnyyyyyy) April 1, 2017
@safelite just proved money can buy anything. If you have extra Fairland has a stadium that needs bought.
— FHS Athletics (@fhsdragonsports) April 1, 2017
No offense but Safelite Auto Glass can kiss my ASS! That's "The Shoe" and Ohio Stadium until the lord takes me! Simple as that! https://t.co/TQbbMFhhOF
— Red Bull (@syko4sports) April 1, 2017
@AlbertBreer Michigan to battle the Buckeyes at Safelite Auto Glass Stadium... Yuck.
— jhilton32 (@jhilton32) April 1, 2017
I will NEVER refer to it as Safelight Stadium, NEVER!
— Nate Hoverman (@nhoverman) April 1, 2017
The name has a nice ring to it. https://t.co/vX7hEkNweZ
— Safelite AutoGlass (@safelite) April 1, 2017
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