On July 5, 2023, SpaceXMania published an article claiming that the National Football League (NFL) had ended its partnership with Bud Light and had banned the beverage company "from the league's proceedings for life":
Breaking: NFL Ends Partnership, Bans Bud Light for Life
With a reputation for hosting some of the most iconic advertising campaigns in television history, the National Football League (NFL) has long stood as a beacon for brands seeking to capture the hearts and minds of millions of sports enthusiasts. But, in an unexpected move, the NFL has decided to put its partnership with Bud Light, one of the nation's most popular beer brands, on an indefinite hiatus.
The article referenced calls for a boycott against Bud Light from some conservative commentators and celebrities after the company partnered with transgender TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney to promote the company's "March Madness" contest, as well as gifting her a commemorative can.
In October 2023, the story appeared on a Facebook page associated with SpaceXMania.com named SpaceX Lovers. We found comments under the post that indicated people believed the story was real. "As it should be," one person wrote.
This item was not a factual recounting of real-life events. As originally published, the SpaceXMania article featured a "Satire" label above its headline. SpaceXMania describes its output as being humorous or satirical in nature, as follows:
Please note that the article under the category "SATIRE" are satirical in nature and are not meant to be taken seriously. These articles are meant to be humorous and are often entirely made up. We make no claim that the information presented in these articles is true or accurate.
We've previously fact-checked many satirical claims about the NFL during the 2023 season, like New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had suspended the team captain for kneeling during the U.S. national anthem. We've also fact-checked satirical claims about Bud Light, like that the company had appointed former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick to be its new brand ambassador.
For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.