Onion CEO Eyes Bowl Game Bid

The Onion's chief executive described satire's role in politics at a Miami panel while the company pursues a legal fight over Infowars.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Marketing

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a lone wooden podium and microphone stand on a dark stage in deep red and cream, evoking a voice at the center of a public debate. — The Onion CEO Ben Collins said satire plays a vital civic role at a WIRED World Fair panel in Miami as the company fights for Infowars in bankruptcy court. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Onion CEO Ben Collins spoke on a panel at the WIRED World Fair in Miami about satire, politics and hope. The Onion is also in an ongoing legal battle over Infowars after a federal judge in Texas struck down its bankruptcy auction win.

Why it matters

The dispute shows how a satirical publication has become entangled in a contested media asset through bankruptcy court. Collins' remarks put the company's view of satire's civic role on public record during a politically charged news week.

The Onion made its bid for Infowars roughly two years ago, and a federal judge in Texas has since struck down the bankruptcy auction win that gave it the network. The source does not give a purchase price or a deal valuation.

The players

Ben Collins

Collins is the chief executive of The Onion, the satirical news publication.

Patti Harrison

Harrison is a comedian and actor who stars in The Onion's parody Infowars show.

Alex Jones

Jones is the founder of Infowars, whose disinformation campaign against Sandy Hook victims' parents was discussed on the panel.

The details

At the WIRED World Fair in Miami, Collins and actor Patti Harrison discussed satire's role in society and politics. The panel also covered Alex Jones' disinformation campaign against the parents of Sandy Hook shooting victims, and Harrison appeared in costume as Elon Musk for a WIRED cover.

Two years before the panel, The Onion made its bid to buy Infowars.
On the night before the panel, Democrats won midterm elections.
On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, Collins spoke at the WIRED World Fair in Miami.
On Thursday, November 5, 2026, Collins posted on Bluesky that The Onion is extremely close to buying a Division 1 college football bowl game.

Market Landscape

The Onion's push for Infowars follows the 2022 Alex Jones defamation verdicts over his Sandy Hook statements, which pushed Infowars into bankruptcy and put its assets up for auction. The contest now centers on whether a satirical publication can gain control of a network built on the disinformation those verdicts addressed.

Readers who follow The Onion or Infowars may see changes in which outlet controls the Infowars brand and its programming if the legal challenge continues. Subscribers and viewers should watch for announcements from either company about ownership or programming changes.

The takeaway

Satire's role in politics remains contested, and the fight over Infowars shows how legal outcomes can reshape which voices control a media platform. Readers can follow how the Texas ruling affects the auction and any appeal.