Corrections Policy

Our Commitment to Correcting Errors

Varsity NC is committed to accuracy and accountability.

When we make a factual error, we will review the issue and correct the published content when appropriate. We aim to make corrections promptly, clearly, and transparently.

Our corrections policy applies to news stories, features, scores, schedules, statistics, rankings, historical databases, photos, videos, captions, newsletters, social media posts, and other content published by Varsity NC.

How to Request a Correction

Readers may submit a correction request through Varsity NC's published contact channels. A correction request should include:

  • The headline or title of the content
  • A link to the page, when available
  • The specific information believed to be incorrect
  • The accurate information
  • Supporting documentation or sources, when available
  • The requester's name and contact information

Providing documentation does not guarantee a correction, but it may help us review the request more efficiently.

How Correction Requests Are Reviewed

Varsity NC will review the original reporting, available records, source material, interviews, official documents, and other relevant evidence.

When necessary, we may contact the person submitting the request, the original source, the reporter, a school, a district, a governing organization, or another knowledgeable party.

Varsity NC retains editorial control over whether content is corrected, clarified, updated, removed, or left unchanged.

Types of Changes

Corrections

A correction is made when published information is factually wrong. Examples may include:

  • An incorrect name
  • A wrong score
  • An inaccurate statistic
  • A mistaken school affiliation
  • An incorrect date or location
  • A misidentified person
  • A factual error in a headline or caption
  • A quotation that was transcribed incorrectly
  • An inaccurate description of an official action

Material corrections may include a correction note explaining what was changed.

Clarifications

A clarification may be added when the original content was not necessarily inaccurate but was unclear, incomplete, or reasonably open to misunderstanding.

Updates

An update may be made when new information becomes available after publication. Updates may include:

  • A final score
  • A newly announced decision
  • A response from a person or organization
  • Additional context
  • A schedule change
  • A corrected official record
  • The outcome of a developing situation

An update is not necessarily a correction.

Routine Database Changes

Scores, schedules, rosters, statistics, rankings, and historical records may be updated without a formal correction note when the change is routine and does not materially alter a published story or conclusion.

A correction note may be added when a data error significantly affected a ranking, record, article, award, playoff projection, or other editorial conclusion.

Typographical and Formatting Changes

Varsity NC may correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, formatting, broken links, or other minor presentation issues without adding a correction note when the change does not alter the meaning of the content.

Correction Notes

When a material error is corrected, Varsity NC may place a note on the article explaining:

  • What information was incorrect
  • What the correct information is
  • When the correction was made

We will not generally remove the entire article simply to hide a correctable error.

Headlines and Social Media Corrections

When an inaccurate headline, newsletter, push alert, or social media post creates a material misunderstanding, Varsity NC may edit, delete, replace, or follow up on the original post.

The response will depend on the seriousness of the error and the size of the audience that may have received the incorrect information.

Removal and Unpublishing Requests

Varsity NC does not routinely remove accurate, lawfully published content.

Requests to remove or substantially alter content will be considered individually. Factors may include:

  • Whether the information is inaccurate
  • Whether the content creates an ongoing safety risk
  • Whether the person involved was a minor
  • Whether charges were dismissed or a record was expunged
  • Whether the information is outdated and no longer serves a meaningful public interest
  • Whether the content exposes private personal information
  • Whether extraordinary circumstances justify removal

Varsity NC may choose to update, anonymize, limit indexing, add context, or remove content. No particular outcome is guaranteed.

Search Engine Results

Varsity NC does not control how quickly Google, Bing, or other search engines update their results after a page is corrected, updated, removed, or changed.

Search engines may continue displaying older headlines, descriptions, or cached versions for a period of time after Varsity NC has updated its website.

Contact Us About an Error

We welcome good-faith correction requests and supporting evidence.

The goal of the Varsity NC Corrections Policy is not only to fix errors, but also to maintain the trust of athletes, families, coaches, schools, readers, and communities throughout North Carolina.