Companies, sports teams lose Twitter verification

After celebrities and professionals lost their “Twitter Blue” verification, some professional sports teams were part of a massive purge on the site.

This comes as teams use Twitter to inform their fans about the goings on around them. With the change, finding the correct information can be easier said than done due to fan or bot accounts.

In the NHL, six of 16 of the 2023 playoff teams are without their check, including the Oilers, Jets and history-making Bruins.

Across the CFL, the only team with a gold check is the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The other eight teams are without.

‘Twitter Blue’ verification goes live, checks removed

In December 2022, Twitter brought blue checkmarks back after initially removing them following Elon Musk’s takeover of the company. At the same time, they also introduced gold checkmarks for companies.

On April 21, Twitter for the second time, removed the verification checkmarks off of some accounts that have held them for years as a way to “build a better Twitter.”

The company stated the verification process on Twitter must now be done by signing up for Twitter Blue or as a Verified Organization.

“This change aligns with Twitter’s broader verification strategy: to elevate the quality of content on Twitter and enhance your experience as a user and advertiser. This approach also supports our ongoing efforts to reduce fraudulent accounts and bots,” the company said in a statement.

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RELATED:

• Twitter pulls blue check mark from main New York Times account
• How to keep your Twitter account secure without paying

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NEWS: Twitter is offering free organization Verification to organizations spending over a $1000/month in advertising as a perk! pic.twitter.com/U1pBbtD38T

— X News Daily (@xDaily) April 21, 2023

Why do some companies still have the gold checkmark? Twitter says some organizations that spend over $1,000 per month will get to continue to enjoy their access at this time, while other companies and organizations have to wait.

Meanwhile, with some celebrities having their verification removed, Twitter CEO Elon Musk, since Tweeting, said that he’d pay for some of their verifications out of his own pocket.

Other teams affected

The Canadian Premier League: Calgary’s Cavalry FC are gold, York United are blue, and the rest of the league lost their verification. The Canadian Premier League Twitter page even lost its verification.

Other notable sports teams without verification include:

Toronto Blue Jays (MLB), Wrexham AFC (England/Wales soccer), Liverpool FC (England soccer), FC Barcelona (Spanish soccer), Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (Formula 1), Scuderia Ferrari (Formula 1), Scuderia AlphaTauri (Formula 1), Williams Racing (Formula 1), Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake (Formula 1), Formula 1, Sacramento Kings (NBA), Brooklyn Nets (NBA), Golden State Warriors (NBA), OKC Thunder (NBA), Indiana Pacers (NBA), Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets (NBA), Houston Rockets (NBA), San Antonio Spurs (NBA).