Our Commitment to Transparency
Varsity NC accepts advertising, sponsorships, branded content, and other commercial partnerships to help support our coverage of North Carolina high school sports.
Revenue from advertisers and sponsors helps Varsity NC produce journalism, maintain scores and statistics, preserve historical records, build interactive tools, and serve student-athletes, families, schools, and communities throughout North Carolina.
We believe readers should always be able to distinguish independent editorial content from paid commercial content. This Advertising and Sponsored Content Policy explains how Varsity NC identifies paid partnerships, protects editorial independence, and evaluates the advertising displayed across its platforms.
Advertising and sponsorship relationships do not determine or control Varsity NC's independent editorial coverage.
Advertisers, sponsors, business partners, schools, athletic departments, governing organizations, and other outside parties may not purchase favorable news coverage, prevent legitimate reporting, approve editorial content before publication, or influence how Varsity NC reports a story.
The existence of a commercial relationship does not guarantee coverage. It also does not prevent Varsity NC from publishing accurate reporting that may be critical of an advertiser, sponsor, partner, product, organization, or individual.
Editorial decisions are made according to the Varsity NC Editorial Standards and Ethics and Sourcing Policy.
Varsity NC maintains a clear distinction between independent journalism and paid commercial content.
Advertising, sponsored content, branded content, affiliate content, and promotional partnerships will be presented in a way that allows readers to understand their commercial nature.
Varsity NC may use labels such as:
The exact label may vary depending on the placement and format, but it should be clear enough that a reasonable reader would understand that the content or placement involves compensation or another commercial relationship.
Advertising should not be designed to mislead readers into believing it is independent news reporting.
Varsity NC may display banner advertisements, video advertisements, native advertising units, newsletter advertising, sponsored links, promotional graphics, or other commercial placements on its website, mobile products, email newsletters, social media channels, live broadcasts, podcasts, videos, databases, and other platforms.
Display advertising may be sold directly by Varsity NC or delivered through an outside advertising platform or technology provider.
Advertising displayed near a story does not indicate that the advertiser sponsored, influenced, or approved that story unless the content is specifically labeled as sponsored.
Varsity NC may use information such as location, interests, site activity, device type, content preferences, or other permitted audience data to make advertising more relevant. The collection and use of personal information are governed by the Varsity NC Privacy Policy.
Sponsored content is material created, funded, or supported by an advertiser or partner.
It may include:
Sponsored content will be clearly labeled near the beginning of the content or in another prominent location.
Varsity NC may create sponsored content on behalf of a commercial partner, or a partner may provide material for consideration. Varsity NC reserves the right to edit, reject, remove, or require changes to sponsored content before publication.
Sponsored content must meet Varsity NC's standards for accuracy, legality, clarity, and responsible presentation. Payment does not guarantee publication of material that violates these standards.
A company or organization may sponsor a section, database, feature, newsletter, awards program, event, broadcast, scoreboard, content series, or other Varsity NC product.
A sponsorship means the partner financially supports that product or feature. It does not give the sponsor control over independent editorial decisions unless specific content is clearly identified as sponsored or produced in partnership with the sponsor.
For example, a sponsor may receive:
A presenting sponsor does not own the journalism, data, rankings, awards, selections, or editorial conclusions associated with a sponsored feature unless otherwise clearly disclosed.
Varsity NC may work with sponsors to support awards, athlete recognition, team recognition, rankings, polls, contests, or other programs.
Sponsorship of an award or recognition program does not permit the sponsor to purchase an award, select a recipient for commercial reasons, or influence an editorial selection process unless the program is clearly identified as a promotional contest with sponsor-determined rules.
When selections are made by Varsity NC, the sponsor will not control the outcome.
The process used to determine honorees, rankings, or winners may be explained when appropriate. Fan voting, public nominations, sponsor involvement, and editorial selections should be identified clearly so users understand how the results were determined.
Advertisers and sponsors are responsible for the claims, offers, prices, warranties, disclosures, and representations contained in their advertisements and promotional material.
Varsity NC may review advertising for clarity and appropriateness, but publication of an advertisement does not mean Varsity NC independently verified or endorses every claim made by the advertiser.
Advertisers must be able to support factual claims when requested.
Varsity NC may reject or remove advertising that contains misleading, deceptive, unsupported, unlawful, or materially inaccurate claims.
The appearance of an advertisement on Varsity NC does not automatically constitute an endorsement by Varsity NC, Acorn Media LLC, Nick Stevens, or any Varsity NC contributor.
Varsity NC may enter into partnerships in which it actively recommends, promotes, or endorses a product, service, organization, or event. When compensation or another material relationship exists, the relationship will be disclosed as appropriate.
Editorial coverage of a company, product, school, event, service, or organization should not be interpreted as an endorsement unless Varsity NC clearly states that it is making a recommendation.
Varsity NC may use affiliate links in articles, guides, newsletters, product recommendations, or other content.
An affiliate link allows Varsity NC to earn a commission or other compensation when a user clicks a link, makes a purchase, registers for a service, or completes another qualifying action.
The use of affiliate links will be disclosed when appropriate.
Affiliate compensation does not increase the price paid by the user unless otherwise stated. Varsity NC will not knowingly recommend a product or service solely because it offers a commission.
Advertisers and sponsors do not receive the right to review or approve independent editorial content before publication.
A sponsor may review branded or sponsored content created specifically for the sponsor to confirm factual information, legal compliance, trademarks, product details, or contractual requirements.
That review applies only to the sponsored material and does not extend to Varsity NC's independent journalism.
Varsity NC may allow a source to verify a quotation, technical detail, or factual description when doing so improves accuracy. This does not provide the source or advertiser with editorial approval.
Advertisers and sponsors may not use the Varsity NC name, logo, trademarks, editorial content, staff names, photographs, videos, data, or other intellectual property without permission.
Commercial partners may describe themselves as advertisers, sponsors, presenting partners, or official partners only when that description is accurate and authorized by Varsity NC.
A partnership with Varsity NC does not imply an endorsement by any school, school district, athletic conference, governing organization, athlete, coach, or other person featured on Varsity NC.
Because Varsity NC primarily covers high school athletics, many people appearing on our platforms are minors.
Commercial content involving student-athletes must be handled carefully and in accordance with applicable laws, school policies, governing-body rules, publicity rights, name, image and likeness requirements, and necessary permissions.
Varsity NC may require permission from a parent, guardian, school, district, photographer, videographer, athlete, or another rights holder before using a minor's name, image, voice, likeness, or personal story in commercial content.
Editorial coverage of a student-athlete does not automatically give an advertiser the right to use that coverage or the athlete's identity in an advertisement.
Varsity NC will avoid presenting a student-athlete as endorsing a product, service, political position, or organization without appropriate authorization.
Varsity NC reserves the right to reject, limit, or remove any advertisement or sponsorship at its discretion.
We may refuse advertising involving:
Varsity NC may also place restrictions on advertising involving alcohol, political campaigns, health products, dietary supplements, financial services, or other regulated or age-restricted industries.
Sports gambling, wagering, betting, and prediction-market companies are prohibited under the policy described below.
Acceptance of an advertisement does not create an obligation to accept similar advertising in the future.
Varsity NC does not accept advertising, sponsorships, branded content, affiliate partnerships, promotional arrangements, or other financial support from sports gambling, sports wagering, betting, or prediction-market companies.
This prohibition includes, but is not limited to:
Varsity NC will not publish betting odds, gambling lines, wagering recommendations, affiliate links, or promotional material intended to encourage readers to place bets.
Varsity NC will not enter into a commercial relationship that promotes wagering on high school sports, youth sports, student-athlete performance, or any competition involving minors.
This policy reflects the youth- and family-focused nature of Varsity NC and our belief that coverage of high school athletics should not be commercially connected to sports gambling or wagering.
Varsity NC may report independently on gambling laws, sports wagering, prediction markets, investigations, policy decisions, or other gambling-related issues when they are relevant to high school athletics or the public interest. Such editorial coverage does not constitute an endorsement, advertisement, sponsorship, or commercial partnership.
Varsity NC may accept or reject political and issue-based advertising at its discretion.
Permitted political or advocacy advertising must be clearly identified and comply with applicable disclosure requirements.
Acceptance of political advertising does not represent an endorsement by Varsity NC, Acorn Media LLC, its ownership, or its contributors.
Varsity NC may reject political advertising that contains demonstrably false claims, targets minors inappropriately, misrepresents its source, or creates confusion with independent editorial content.
Varsity NC may conduct or promote contests, giveaways, sweepstakes, voting programs, and other promotions independently or with sponsors.
Promotions will be governed by applicable rules, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and disclosures.
A sponsor's involvement will be identified when appropriate.
Varsity NC may disqualify entries, suspend voting, adjust procedures, or cancel a promotion when necessary to address fraud, manipulation, technical problems, legal concerns, or other circumstances affecting fairness.
Advertisers do not receive unrestricted access to Varsity NC user accounts, private communications, or personally identifiable information.
Varsity NC may provide advertisers with aggregated or anonymized information about audiences, campaigns, impressions, clicks, geographic areas, interests, or engagement.
Any collection, sharing, or use of user information will be governed by the Varsity NC Privacy Policy, applicable law, platform requirements, and contractual restrictions.
Advertisers and advertising technology providers may use cookies, pixels, device identifiers, or similar technologies as described in the Privacy Policy and any applicable consent tools.
Readers may report advertising that they believe is misleading, inappropriate, offensive, unsafe, improperly labeled, or inconsistent with this policy.
A complaint should include, when possible:
Varsity NC will review good-faith complaints but does not guarantee removal of advertising solely because a reader disagrees with the advertiser, message, product, or organization.
Factual errors in sponsored or branded content may be corrected under the Varsity NC Corrections Policy.
Material updates or corrections may include a note when appropriate.
An advertiser may request a change to its sponsored content, but Varsity NC retains control over the presentation, labeling, correction history, and continued publication of material hosted on its platforms.
Varsity NC may suspend or end an advertising or sponsorship relationship if a partner:
The end of a commercial relationship will not require Varsity NC to remove accurate independent reporting about the former partner.
Varsity NC is independently owned and operated by Nick Stevens, founder and owner of Acorn Media LLC. Learn more about Varsity NC's ownership →
Questions about advertising opportunities, sponsored content, commercial partnerships, or this policy may be submitted through the contact information provided on the Varsity NC website.