Varsity Spirit

What Varsity Spirit does

Varsity Spirit is the cheerleading and dance division of Varsity Brands, founded by Jeff Webb in 1974 and headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. It operates a vertically integrated platform spanning camps, competitions, choreography, fashion, and media, serving school, all-star, collegiate, and youth/recreational cheerleading and dance programs across the United States and select international markets. The company controls approximately 90% of the US cheerleading market, runs the world's largest camp network (UCA training 180,000+ cheerleaders across 3,200+ sessions and UDA training 40,000+ dancers across 760+ sessions annually), and produces flagship championships such as The Summit, NCA All Star Nationals, and NCA & NDA Collegiate Championship, many held at Walt Disney World Resort under a partnership dating to 1995.

Core products span five revenue streams: Competitions and Events (team registration fees, spectator admissions, and venue partnerships across 250+ regional and national events), Camps and Training (registration fees across UCA, UDA, NCA, NDA, USA, UCE, and V!ROC brands), Fashion and Merchandise (customized uniforms, shoes, apparel, and beauty products via shop.varsity.com), Varsity TV Streaming (subscription and pay-per-view streaming of 300+ live events annually), and the newly launched Pro Cheer League (a paid professional league broadcast on ION Television). Underlying technology includes proprietary competition scoring, judging, and event-management systems; the Varsity TV streaming platform; and the Curv AI Sport Scientist, a third-party computer vision system that analyzes athlete movement for personalized health protocols, real-time benchmarks, and public leaderboards in the Pro Cheer League.

The business model combines transactional registration fees, subscription-based streaming revenue, direct-to-consumer e-commerce (hardware-like sales of uniforms and merchandise), advertising/sponsorship (Pro Cheer League broadcast rights, Gatorade and European Wax Center partnerships), and licensing. Customer acquisition is event-driven, anchored by hundreds of live competitions and summer camps that also serve as training and qualification pathways, supplemented by a sales-representative network targeting school administrators and gym owners and direct-to-consumer marketing via Varsity TV, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Varsity Spirit is a division of Varsity Brands, which generates approximately $3 billion in annual revenue and $400 million in EBITDA and was acquired by KKR for $4.8 billion in 2024, the fourth private equity ownership change since 2010.

Name

Varsity Spirit

Legal name

Varsity Spirit LLC

Website

https://varsity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Varsity Spirit, a division of Varsity Brands, is the dominant US cheerleading and dance platform operating camps, 250+ competitions, uniforms, and streaming across school, all-star, collegiate, and youth segments, serving roughly 55 million youth athletes annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cheerleading & Dance Sports Services

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Championship & Cup Organizers (MPAKADAB)

Keywords

• Cheerleading camps
• Dance competitions
• Spirit uniforms
• Youth sports events
• Cheerleading training

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Competitions and Events: Varsity Spirit produces hundreds of competitive events for cheerleaders, dancers and bands at state, regional, and national levels. Events include The Summit, The Dance Summit, D2 Summit, NCA All Star Nationals, NCA & NDA Collegiate Championships, UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship, and numerous regional competitions. Revenue generated through team registration fees, spectator admissions, and venue partnerships.
2. Camps and Training: Summer camps and year-round training programs operated through brands including UCA, UDA, NCA, NDA, USA, UCE, and V!ROC. UCA trains over 180,000 cheerleaders annually at over 3,200 sessions. UDA trains over 40,000 dancers each summer at over 760 sessions. Revenue from team registration fees and individual athlete fees.
3. Fashion and Merchandise: Varsity Spirit Fashion sells customized uniforms, shoes, apparel, accessories, and beauty products through shop.varsity.com e-commerce platform. Products include cheerleading uniforms, dancewear, band wear, color guard, letter jackets, and Varsity Beauty line. Revenue from direct consumer and team orders.
4. Varsity TV Streaming: Subscription and pay-per-view streaming platform for live event broadcasts, competition replays, and original content. Events broadcast include championships on ESPN and live streaming of competitions. Revenue from subscription fees and per-event purchases.
5. Pro Cheer League: Professional cheerleading league featuring paid athletes competing in matches across multiple cities, broadcast on ION Television. Revenue from broadcast rights, sponsorship, ticket sales, and merchandise. Season champion Dallas Drive won $40,000 prize ($15,000 match win plus $25,000 season win).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Varsity Spirit operates the world's largest cheerleading and dance camp network, produces hundreds of competitive events from regional qualifiers to national championships, manufactures and sells customized uniforms and apparel for spirit programs, streams competitions through the Varsity TV platform, and runs the Pro Cheer League professional competition. Core customers are school spirit programs, all-star gyms, collegiate teams, and individual athletes/parents across the United States and internationally.

Product overview

Varsity Spirit is the cheerleading and dance division of Varsity Brands, operating as a comprehensive platform for spirit programs. The core offerings span five areas: Camps (with sub-brands UCA, UDA, NCA, NDA, USA, UCE, and V!ROC for choreography), Competitions (including The Summit, Dance Summit, D2 Summit, NCA All Star Nationals, and NCA & NDA Collegiate Championships), Varsity TV streaming platform (broadcasting 300+ live events), Varsity Spirit Fashion (uniforms, shoes, and apparel), and the Pro Cheer League (professional competition launched in 2026). Special Events provide parade and performance opportunities globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Varsity Spirit Summer Camps: The largest camp operator in the world offering cheerleading and dance camps across multiple brands including UCA, UDA, NCA, NDA, USA, and UCE. Trains over 180,000 cheerleaders and 40,000 dancers every summer.
• Varsity Spirit Fashion
• Varsity TV
• Varsity Spirit Special Events

Products and services

• Varsity Spirit Summer Camps Summer camp programs focused on cheerleading and dance skills training, coaches' education, safety, and team bonding. Operated through brands UCA, UDA, NCA, NDA, USA, UCE, and V!ROC. Trains over 180,000 cheerleaders and 40,000 dancers annually across over 3,200 cheerleading and 760 dance sessions.
• Varsity Spirit Competitions Competitive events for cheerleaders, dancers, and bands at state, regional, and national levels. Includes The Summit, The Dance Summit, D2 Summit, NCA All Star Nationals, NCA & NDA Collegiate Championships, UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship, and 250+ regional and local competitions. Over 1 million athletes impacted annually.
• Varsity Spirit Fashion Customized uniforms, shoes, apparel, and accessories for cheerleading, dance, band, color guard, letter jackets, and Varsity Beauty line for cheerleaders and dancers. Sold direct-to-consumer through shop.varsity.com and to teams through dedicated sales reps.
• Varsity TV

Quantifiable outcome

• 5.1 million viewers for inaugural Pro Cheer League season, exceeding internal projections
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• European Wax CenterminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 March 2026Official wax partner for the inaugural Pro Cheer League season, featuring the brand at events and digital platforms.
• Scripps Sports (ION Television)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 19 December 2025Multi-year exclusive broadcast agreement to air the inaugural Pro Cheer League season on ION network, marking the first time professional cheerleading will be showcased on national television with paid athletes. Five live events from January 16 to March 27, 2026.
• Curv AIcoreTechnology or Integration · 30 October 2025Partnership to introduce the world's first AI Sport Scientist for cheerleading, using advanced computer vision technology to analyze athletes' movement and performance. AI system provides personalized health protocols, real-time benchmarks, and public leaderboards.
• St. Jude Children's Research HospitalcoreOthers · 1 January 2011Official charity partner since 2011. Friday Night Live 2026 event raised over $300,000 for St. Jude. Total giving to St. Jude exceeds $16 million since partnership began.
• UpLight TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationDesigned and deployed flexible video and LED production system for Pro Cheer League launch, featuring modular LED setup with dual Brompton SX40 processors, Analog Way Zenith 200 switcher, Resolume Arena for playback, and broadcast-aligned lighting with full redundancy.
• National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarsity Spirit/NFHS Squad Credentialing program developed in conjunction with NFHS, spanning more than twenty years. Focuses on importance of safety, leadership, and five key pillars to a successful spirit program.
• USA CheercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoverning body for cheerleading. All Varsity Spirit instructors are USA Cheer certified, Level 2 background checked, and knowledgeable about concussions. Company contributes to safety guidelines and standards.
• Walt Disney World ResortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership since 1995 for national championships and special events at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. New state-of-the-art facility designed specifically for cheerleading and dance with Varsity Spirit expertise.
• GatorademinorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial partner for hydration products at Varsity Spirit camps and events.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The JAM Brands (JAMZ, Americheer, WCA): The JAM Brands operates competing cheerleading and dance competition brands including JAMZ, Americheer, and the World Cheerleading Association (WCA), directly overlapping with Varsity Spirit's competition business across both school and All Star segments.
• CheerSport: CheerSport runs major All Star cheerleading national championships (e.g., the Atlanta-based CheerSport National All Star Championship), directly competing with Varsity Spirit's Summit, NCA All-Star Nationals, and regional competition portfolio.
• USASF (U.S. All Star Federation): USASF is the governing body for All Star cheerleading that establishes rules, safety standards, and sanctioning that directly shapes the competitive framework in which Varsity Spirit's events operate, making it a structural peer in the competitive ecosystem.
• StarQuest Dance: StarQuest is a national dance competition circuit with regional and championship events, directly competing with Varsity Spirit's dance competition portfolio including The Dance Summit and NDA championships.
• Woodall Dance Championships: Woodall is one of the largest national dance competition companies in the US, offering regional and championship events that overlap with Varsity Spirit's dance competition business.
• USA Cheer: USA Cheer is the governing body for school cheerleading and partners closely with Varsity Spirit (whose instructors are all USA Cheer certified), but is also a related peer in setting industry safety and competition standards.

Broad incumbents

• BSN Sports: BSN Sports is the team sports apparel and equipment arm of Varsity Brands (parent of Varsity Spirit), making it a sister division and natural peer in the youth sports uniform/apparel category that Varsity Spirit Fashion also serves.
• Nike Team Sports: Nike is a broad incumbent in athletic apparel and footwear with a team sports division that overlaps with Varsity Spirit Fashion's custom uniform business, though Nike operates across all sports rather than specializing in cheerleading/dance.
• Adidas Team Sports: Adidas is a broad incumbent offering team uniforms, footwear, and apparel that competes for share of cheerleading and dance team apparel spend, though it serves a much wider sports portfolio.
• Champion Teamwear: Champion Teamwear (Hanesbrands) provides custom uniforms and apparel for school and All Star cheerleading/dance teams, making it a relevant incumbent peer in the same fashion/apparel category as Varsity Spirit Fashion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/varsityspirit
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/cheerleadingvideo
• Facebookfacebook.com/varsitycheer
• Instagraminstagram.com/varsityspirit
• TikToktiktok.com/@varsityspirit?
• Pinterestpinterest.com/varsityspirit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/varsity-brands

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Varsity Spirit