Two influencers who run the Instagram account The VIP List found themselves ejected from the U.S. Open tennis tournament after making what they describe as an innocent mistake on social media.
Meg Radice and Audrey Jongens had their tournament credentials revoked just two hours after arriving at the event, they told TMZ. The women say their removal came after they posted photographs of their credentials to Instagram Stories.
The influencers had secured the credentials through a partnership with a restaurant operating at the tournament, according to their account. They planned to create content throughout the event and had attended the U.S. Open for the past three years prior to receiving official credentials this year.
Radice and Jongens say they never made it to the tennis courts. After arriving and heading to the restaurant for dinner and drinks, they were notified their credentials could no longer be used.
The pair maintain they were unaware that posting images of their credentials violated tournament policy. They told TMZ they were simply eager to share the experience with their social media followers and had cleared their schedules to attend the full two weeks of the tournament.
Despite the setback, the influencers say they harbor no ill will toward the event, which they described to TMZ as their favorite sporting event. They report that no one from the U.S. Open has contacted them since their credentials were revoked.
Radice and Jongens expressed hope that someone might intervene on their behalf. They told TMZ they would gladly accept an invitation back from anyone, even a random person, if it meant regaining access to the tournament. The women say they do not require an apology and simply want their credentials restored.
The incident highlights the strict security protocols major sporting events maintain around credential distribution and display, particularly in an era when social media sharing has become reflexive for content creators.