Varsity Spirit
Varsity Spirit is the world's largest cheerleading and dance camp operator, running training camps, 250+ regional and national competitions, custom uniform manufacturing, and the Varsity TV streaming platform for schools, All Star gyms, colleges, and marching bands across the US and select international markets.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersMemphis, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Varsity Spirit does
Varsity Spirit LLC is a privately held Memphis-based subsidiary of Varsity Brands and the world's largest operator of cheerleading and dance camps, competitions, and related apparel. The company runs a vertically integrated platform spanning training camps (via heritage brands UCA founded 1974, UDA founded 1980, NCA founded 1948, NDA, USA founded 1950, UCE, and V!ROC Choreography), 250+ regional and national competitions culminating in 7 ESPN/ESPN2/CBS Sports broadcasts, custom uniform and apparel manufacturing through Varsity Spirit Fashion, and the Varsity TV streaming platform broadcasting 300+ live events annually. It serves school and All Star cheerleading and dance programs, college spirit programs, marching bands, and youth/recreational athletes, training more than 180,000 cheerleaders and 40,000 dancers each summer at thousands of camp sessions across hundreds of US locations.
The business model combines five distinct revenue streams: per-athlete camp registration fees, per-team competition entry fees, hardware sales of customized uniforms, dancewear, shoes (including the proprietary Varsity Phantom with V-Plate Technology), and accessories, premium travel packages for special events at Disney World, the London New Year's Day Parade, the Citrus Bowl, and Pearl Harbor, and professional choreography services via V!ROC. Distribution is omnichannel — shop.varsity.com e-commerce, brand-specific websites, catalog ordering, MyVarsity registration platform, and field sales representatives — supported by social media, Varsity TV content, email, and brand ambassador programs (e.g., Gabi Butler). Founder Jeff Webb, who died in March 2026, originally built Universal Cheerleaders Association and went on to found and fund the governing bodies USA Cheer, the U.S. All Star Federation, and the International All Star Federation, and to create the AACCA Safety Manual — positions that confer structural regulatory influence over the sport.
The company's geographic footprint is primarily domestic with growing international presence through the Varsity Europe Championship season in Portugal, Germany, and England, and partnerships with the International All Star Federation and International Cheer Union. Corporate offices are in Memphis, TN (headquarters), Plano, TX (NDA), and Dallas, TX (NCA). Varsity Spirit operates as part of the diversified Varsity Brands conglomerate; no public financials, funding rounds, or investor details are disclosed in the available source material.
Varsity Spirit firmographics
Firmographics- 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 is the world's largest cheerleading and dance camp operator, running training camps, 250+ regional and national competitions, custom uniform manufacturing, and the Varsity TV streaming platform for schools, All Star gyms, colleges, and marching bands across the US and select international markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Varsity Spirit industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cheerleading and Dance Spirit Services
- NAICS
- Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Other Spectator Sports (711219), Dance Companies (711120)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)
- akta.pro industry
- Club Sports ProgramsUniversity/School Sport Governing Bodies (Collegiate/Scholastic Associations)Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Rights Holders & Governing Bodies (Federations, Associations, Sanctioning Bodies)Athletics Events, Game Operations & TicketingStudent Organizations & Club Administration
Keywords
Where Varsity Spirit is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Memphis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Varsity Spirit business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Camp Training Programs: Varsity Spirit generates revenue through summer camp fees for cheerleading and dance training. Camps are offered across multiple brands (UCA, UDA, NCA, NDA, USA, UCE) at hundreds of locations nationwide, with registration fees per athlete.
- Competitive Events: Revenue from hosting regional, state, and national competitions for cheerleaders, dancers, and band members. Includes entry fees for teams participating in over 250 regional and local competitions plus national championships.
- Uniforms and Apparel: Sales of customized cheerleading uniforms, dancewear, shoes, accessories, and spirit wear through catalogs, e-commerce (shop.varsity.com), and sales representatives.
- Special Events: Premium travel and performance packages for special events including parades (London New Year's Day Parade, Philadelphia Thanksgiving Parade), performances at Disney World, Citrus Bowl, and Pearl Harbor Memorial. Packages include travel, accommodations, and performance opportunities.
- Choreography Services: V!ROC Dance and V!ROC Choreography provide custom routine creation for teams through a network of professional choreographers, with fees covering choreography, travel, lodging, meals, and insurance.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | University Spirit Day events with halftime/pre-game performance opportunities |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Baseball Spirit Days |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Varsity Spirit product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Varsity Spirit operates the world's largest cheerleading and dance camp business through subsidiary brands (UCA, UDA, NCA, NDA, USA, UCE), hosts hundreds of regional and national competitions annually, manufactures and sells custom uniforms, dancewear, band wear and apparel, provides choreography services through the V!ROC network, and streams live event coverage via the Varsity TV platform.
Product overview
Varsity Spirit is a comprehensive cheerleading and dance company operating as a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offerings include camp brands (UCA, UDA, NCA, NDA, USA, UCE), choreography services (V!ROC), fashion products (uniforms, dancewear, band wear, accessories), competition events, Varsity TV streaming platform, special events, and educational resources through Varsity University. The company runs the largest camp operations in the world, producing hundreds of competitive events annually with international reach.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA): Largest cheerleading camp company in the world, training over 180,000 cheerleaders every summer at over 3,200 sessions. Credited with choreographing the first routine to music and inventing fundamental cheerleading skills including the liberty, elevator, and basket toss.
- Universal Dance Association (UDA)
- National Cheerleaders Association (NCA)
- National Dance Alliance (NDA)
- United Spirit Association (USA)
- The Urban Cheerleading Experience (UCE)
- V!ROC Choreography
- Varsity TV
Products and services
- Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) Camps The largest cheerleading camp company in the world, training over 180,000 cheerleaders every summer at over 3,200 sessions across the country.
- Universal Dance Association (UDA) Camps The largest dance camp company in the world, training over 40,000 dancers each summer at over 760 camp sessions with year-round camps, clinics and competitions.
- National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Camps Cheerleading camp company founded in 1948 with hundreds of camp locations nationwide and legacy uniform manufacturing.
- National Dance Alliance (NDA) Camps
Quantifiable outcome
- 180,000+ cheerleaders and 40,000+ dancers trained annually through camp programs
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Varsity Spirit
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Varsity Spirit technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Varsity Spirit partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.
- GoodyminorGoody launched a 2026 campaign in partnership with Varsity Spirit, focusing on women's sports and athlete support. The campaign features the new ComfortFlex collection of hair accessories designed for durability and performance, and includes a yearlong partnership with Varsity Spirit to support cheerleading and dance programming.
- GatorademinorGatorade is a partner of Varsity Spirit, supporting camps and events with hydration products. Celebration of National Hydration Day featured Gatorade partnership on social media.
- USA CheercoreVarsity Spirit founded and funds USA Cheer, the governing body for cheerleading in the United States. USA Cheer was established to promote safety and standardize cheerleading regulations.
- U.S. All Star FederationcoreVarsity Spirit founded the U.S. All Star Federation, the governing organization for All Star cheerleading competitions and safety standards.
- International All Star FederationcoreInternational governing body for All Star cheerleading that Varsity Spirit works with for international competitions and standards.
- International Cheer UnioncoreGlobal cheerleading governing body recognized by the International Olympic Committee, partnered with for international events.
- National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)coreVarsity Spirit has partnered with NFHS for over twenty years on the Squad Credentialing program, which focuses on safety, leadership, and the five key pillars to a successful spirit program.
- Walt Disney World ResortmajorVarsity Spirit has partnered with Walt Disney World Resort since 1995 to create National Championship experiences. A state-of-the-art facility was designed specifically for cheerleading and dance with Varsity Spirit's expertise.
- ESPN / CBS SportsmajorVarsity Spirit produces 7 nationally televised events with 28 hours combined total airtime on ESPN, ESPN2, and CBS Sports, reaching 7 million estimated viewers annually.
- SwarovskiminorSwarovski partners with Varsity Spirit for crystal embellishments on All Star Fashion uniforms, providing premium crystal applications for competition attire.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Varsity Spirit competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The JAM Brands: Cheerleading-focused brand conglomerate running apparel, footwear, and competition brands (NCA-adjacent programs such as JAMZ); overlaps with Varsity Spirit's camps, competitions, and fashion operations.
- World Spirit Federation (WSF): International cheerleading competition and governing body operating end-of-season events that compete with Varsity-run Summits and championships for elite All Star teams.
- Chasse: Major cheerleading and dance apparel brand selling uniforms, shoes, and accessories directly to schools and gyms; competes head-to-head with Varsity Spirit's fashion business.
- Omni Cheer & ApparelNow: Direct-to-consumer cheer and dance apparel and accessories retailer; competes for the same school and All Star uniform budgets as Varsity Spirit Fashion.
- StarQuest Dance Competition: National dance competition tour targeting school, All Star, and studio dance teams; competes directly with UDA and NDA competitions for entry fees and choreography demand.
- Nfinity Athletic: Leading cheerleading footwear and apparel manufacturer; competes directly with Varsity Spirit Fashion in uniforms, shoes, and accessories for cheer and dance programs.
- Energy Dance Competition: Regional and national dance competition tour serving school and studio dance teams; competes with Varsity Spirit's dance competition calendar for the same team budgets.
- Champion Cheer & Dance Competitions: Independent cheer and dance competition company running regional events nationwide; provides an alternative competition venue for All Star gyms that today largely compete at Varsity Summits.
- CheerSport Cheerleading Championships: Long-running cheerleading competition producer running regional and national events; directly competes with UCA and NCA competitions for team registrations.
Regional players
- Cheer Athletics: Largest elite All Star cheerleading gym in the U.S. and a major customer of Varsity-run Summits; useful comparable for sizing the All Star gym market that drives Varsity's competition and uniform volume.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Varsity Spirit social profiles
Digital presenceVarsity Spirit financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Varsity Spirit leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Varsity Spirit subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Varsity Spirit funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Varsity Spirit M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Varsity Spirit
What does Varsity Spirit do?
Varsity Spirit operates the world's largest cheerleading and dance camp business through subsidiary brands (UCA, UDA, NCA, NDA, USA, UCE), hosts hundreds of regional and national competitions annually, manufactures and sells custom uniforms, dancewear, band wear and apparel, provides choreography services through the V!ROC network, and streams live event coverage via the Varsity TV platform.
Is Varsity Spirit a public or private company?
Varsity Spirit is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Varsity Spirit founded?
Varsity Spirit was founded in 1974. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Varsity Spirit based?
Varsity Spirit is headquartered in Memphis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Varsity Spirit make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Camp Training Programs are the primary driver. The others are competitive Events, uniforms and Apparel, special Events and choreography Services.
Who are Varsity Spirit's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The JAM Brands, World Spirit Federation (WSF), Chasse, Omni Cheer & ApparelNow, StarQuest Dance Competition, Nfinity Athletic, Energy Dance Competition, Champion Cheer & Dance Competitions and CheerSport Cheerleading Championships. Cheer Athletics is listed as a regional player.
Does Varsity Spirit have an API?
No public API is recorded for Varsity Spirit.
What industry is Varsity Spirit in?
Varsity Spirit's product category is Cheerleading and Dance Spirit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALAIAB, Club Sports Programs, with a secondary code of MPAKAFAG, University/School Sport Governing Bodies (Collegiate/Scholastic Associations). Its NAICS code is 71394 and its SIC code is 7997.