Pro Cheer League

What Pro Cheer League does

Pro Cheer League (PCL) is the first professional cheerleading league, presented by Varsity Spirit. The league fields city-based teams of paid elite athletes aged 18+ who have aged out of high school and college competitive pathways. The inaugural season launched in January 2026 with four teams — Atlanta Air, Dallas Drive, Golden State Grit, and Miami Metal — competing across five live matches in Indianapolis, Atlanta, Houston, Anaheim, and Nashville, culminating in a championship won by Dallas Drive over Miami Metal. Season 2 expands to six teams (adding Houston Hustle and Kentucky Crush) and ten matches from December 2026 through March 2027, with the championship at Toyota Center in Houston alongside NCA All-Star Nationals.

The core product is live professional cheerleading competition in a bracket-style match format covering tumbling, stunting, basket tosses, and 2-3 minute creative routines. Broadcast production is built around a modular LED and video system deployed by UpLight Technologies — dual Brompton SX40 processors, an Analog Way Zenith 200 switcher, Resolume Arena playback, and broadcast-aligned lighting with full signal-path redundancy — designed as a scalable blueprint for televised arena events. The league has no consumer-facing app or public API; commerce runs through a Shopify-powered DTC storefront on procheerleague.com.

Revenue is generated through four streams: (1) exclusive multi-year media rights with Scripps Sports for ION Television broadcast, (2) DTC merchandise sales (jerseys $59.99-$99.99, sweatshirts, accessories; U.S. shipping only via FedEx), (3) live event ticketing across U.S. arenas, and (4) brand sponsorship (Curve AI as "AI Sport Scientist," European Wax Center, EZ Flex mats). Athletes are compensated as part-time employees of Varsity Spirit, which wholly owns and operates the league. The league is headquartered in Memphis, TN.

Name

Pro Cheer League

Legal name

Pro Cheer League

Website

https://procheerleague.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Pro Cheer League is the first professional cheerleading league, presenting paid elite athletes 18+ in city-based teams competing in televised live matches. Owned by Varsity Spirit, it generates revenue through broadcast rights, merchandise, ticketing, and sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports League

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events (7113)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur Event & Tournament Organizers (Meets, Invitationals, Opens) (MPAKACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Athlete & Team Sponsorship Deals (Official Partners, Jersey/Kit Sponsors) (MPAKALAA), Team & School Athletic Uniforms Retail (CRAMACAJ)

Keywords

• Professional cheerleading league
• Competitive cheer events
• Live sports broadcasting
• Team apparel merchandise
• Elite athlete competitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Media Rights: Multi-year exclusive media rights agreement with Scripps Sports to broadcast Pro Cheer League events on ION Television, covering live events from January to March 2026 with five initial events expanding to ten in Season 2.
2. Merchandise Sales: Direct-to-consumer merchandise sales through the official Pro Cheer League e-commerce storefront featuring team apparel, accessories, and event-specific merchandise. Products include jerseys, sweatshirts, t-shirts, hats, bags, and trading pins.
3. Ticket Sales: Live event ticket sales for matches across various venues including Indianapolis, Atlanta, Houston, Anaheim, Nashville, and Season 2 expansion cities including Louisville, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., and Columbus.
4. Sponsorship: Brand partnerships including Curve AI (AI Sport Scientist), European Wax Center, and EZ Flex mats. Sponsorship page indicates active seeking of brand partners for league support and brand partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Pro Cheer League operates a professional cheerleading competition featuring paid elite athletes competing in seasonal matches and fan-focused events across six charter teams. The league's core deliverables are live match events, nationally broadcast games on ION Television, and an official merchandise storefront carrying team-specific fan gear for the Atlanta Air, Dallas Drive, Golden State Grit, Miami Metal, Houston Hustle, and Kentucky Crush franchises.

Product overview

The Pro Cheer League is a professional sports entertainment league and merchandise platform presented by Varsity Spirit. The core offering consists of live professional cheerleading competitions featuring city-based teams competing in head-to-head match events across tumbling, stunting, and creative routines. Supporting the league is a full e-commerce operation selling official merchandise and team-specific fan gear through integrated Shopify-based storefronts. The league launched its inaugural season in 2026 with four teams (Atlanta Air, Dallas Drive, Golden State Grit, Miami Metal) and is expanding in Season 2 with two additional teams (Houston Hustle, Kentucky Crush).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Atlanta Air: Professional cheer team representing Atlanta, Georgia in the Pro Cheer League.
• Dallas Drive
• Golden State Grit
• Miami Metal
• Houston Hustle
• Kentucky Crush

Products and services

• Pro Cheer League Seasonal Competition

Quantifiable outcome

• 5 million+ unique viewers in inaugural season, ranking among highest-rated professional televised sporting events
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• UpLight TechnologiescoreTechnology or Integration · 7 May 2026UpLight Technologies designed and deployed the flexible video and LED production system for the Pro Cheer League launch, featuring Brompton SX40 processors, Analog Way Zenith 200 switcher, Resolume Arena for playback, and broadcast-aligned lighting with full redundancy across all signal paths. System positioned as scalable blueprint for future broadcast-driven arena events.
• Scripps Sports / ION TelevisioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 December 2025Exclusive multi-year media rights agreement with Scripps Sports to air the Pro Cheer League on ION Television. The agreement covers all live events from January 16 to March 27, 2026, initially covering five events with Season 2 expanding to ten matches. The deal reinforces Scripps Sports' expanding commitment to women's professional sports, building on existing partnerships with NWSL, WNBA, and Major League Volleyball.
• Varsity SpiritflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarsity Spirit is the parent company and presenting sponsor of the Pro Cheer League, providing strategic direction, operations management, and ownership of the league. Varsity Spirit has 50-year history in cheerleading with established relationships with elite gyms, coaches, and athletes across the sport.
• NCA All-Star NationalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeason 2 championship will take place alongside NCA All-Star Nationals at the Toyota Center in Houston in March 2027. Partnership provides access to established cheerleading event audience and venues.
• Curve AIminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor providing AI Sport Scientist technology that delivers personalized, data-driven health and performance insights for pro cheer athletes through smartphone-accessible platform. Powers pro cheer performance analytics.
• European Wax CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor providing waxing services and grooming partnerships for athletes. EWC helps guests feel confident and smooth with expert waxing services and proprietary Comfort Wax.
• EZ FlexminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor providing high-quality, lightweight, and affordable sport mats designed to support safe, durable performance for cheerleading and athletic training at every level.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• USASF (U.S. All Star Federation): Governing body for all-star cheerleading in the U.S., sanctioning events and establishing competition rules. Relevant as the regulatory and competitive framework within which PCL operates and from which it sources its athlete pipeline through affiliated gyms.

Direct peers

• Professional Bull Riders (PBR): Alternative professional sports league with a tour-based, city-by-city event model, broadcast on national television, and strong merchandise business. Comparable as a non-mainstream professional sports property that built a national following through TV exposure and event-based competition.
• Premier Lacrosse League (PLL): U.S. professional lacrosse league launched in 2019 with a broadcast-first, tour-based model and elite athlete compensation. Highly comparable to PCL as a newer professional sports league built on TV distribution, city-based teams, and merchandise-driven fan engagement.
• Major League Volleyball (MLV): Professional women's volleyball league explicitly mentioned alongside PCL as part of Scripps Sports' women's sports portfolio. Directly comparable as a women's pro sports league with broadcast deal, city-based teams, and athlete compensation model.

Broad incumbents

• WNBA: The largest and most established women's professional sports league in the U.S. and a Scripps Sports broadcast partner. Comparable as a women's pro sports league with TV distribution growth, sponsorship expansion, and franchise-based competition, though operating at substantially larger scale and longer history.
• Varsity Spirit: Parent company and operator of Pro Cheer League, the dominant U.S. cheerleading camps, competitions, and uniform business with 50+ years of industry presence. Relevant as the controlling entity and the infrastructure through which PCL sources athletes, gyms, and coaches.
• USL (United Soccer League): Second-tier U.S. professional soccer ecosystem operating multiple leagues below MLS. Comparable as a multi-division pro sports structure with franchise-based teams, league expansion, and merchandise operations, though in an established mainstream sport.
• National Women's Soccer League (NWSL): Premier U.S. women's professional soccer league and a direct Scripps Sports broadcast partner alongside PCL. Comparable as a women's pro sports league building national TV distribution, sponsorship revenue, and franchise-based competition, but operates at significantly larger scale and longer-tenured.

Emerging players

• Athletes Unlimited: Innovative U.S. pro sports model featuring multiple sports (volleyball, lacrosse, softball, basketball) with rotating athlete rosters and player-driven team leadership. Comparable as an emerging alternative professional sports structure targeting elite female athletes outside traditional league frameworks.
• Major League Rugby (MLR): U.S. professional rugby league launched in 2018 with city-based franchises and national broadcast ambitions. Comparable as an emerging alternative professional sports league that has navigated similar challenges around broadcast partnerships, team expansion, and niche audience development.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/procheerleague

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Pro Cheer League