User:59Efra/sandbox

--This sandbox contains a prior draft of a now-published article.--

The Champions is a short-format American sports comedy series. It has been running since 2018 on Bleacher Report's football-specific YouTube channel B/R Football.

Premise
The series plays out as a fictional reality show set primarily in the Champions House, a giant mansion inhabited by the players and managers of the 32 teams competing in the UEFA Champions League, following the day-to-day lives of the top stars inside the property.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) Clever writing that puts a comedic spin on real-life grudges, rivalries and events. For example, Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp kicking off the team's Champions League victory celebration by roasting Tottenham's lack of silverware after beating them in the Champions League final of the previous season, Barcelona over Origi's corner goal against them in the semi-finals ("We didn't mean to put you front and center, but unfortunately, all the corners were taken too quickly!") and former Liverpool goalie Loris Karius for the fumble against Real Madrid that got him replaced with Alisson in the team's lineup.
 * 2) Many details that make the episodes even more hilarious by finding them on rewatches and/or knowing/learning about their context. For instance, on the aforementioned Klopp roast, Karius dropping a meatball onto Karim Benzema's dish when he turns around upon hearing his name (in real life, Benzema was the player that benefitted from that fumble).
 * 3) Some players and managers have hilarious running gags associated to them: Kevin de Bruyne speaking by only saying his name, Harry Kane's speech being nearly impossible to understand (to the point of producers occasionally bringing in Dan Stevens to play him), Sergio Ramos as the closest thing to an antagonist the show has (he even calls attention to it when he is designated as the villain for Frank Lampard's fake spy mission for Christian Pulisic: "No, seriously, who else would be the bad guy?"), José Mourinho being a total killjoy ("It's called smiling and having fun. It's overrated, don't get any ideas"), and more.
 * 4) The episodes that parody other shows (The Great British Bake-Off, Queer Eye, or even the Eurovision Song Contest) are amusing, yet surprisingly coherent with the rest of the series.
 * 5) The Christmas episode that closes season 4 has a heartwarming ending, with the players agreeing to share the unawarded 2020 Ballon d'Or after conceding that it has been a hard year for everyone.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) The short format makes it impossible to feature every team consistently. This at least is acknowledged in the season 1 finale.

Trivia

 * 1) Sports broadcaster Kate Abdo voiced herself in the season 1 finale, appearing to host the season's reunion show.