First pro cheerleading league set to launch next year offering dazzling prize incentives to star players

Varsity Brands, a prominent figure in the cheerleading world, is looking to bring in a new era for the sport with the announcement of its Pro Cheer League - which would be the 'world's first' pro cheerleading league.
This initiative comes as the company aims to move past a series of legal battles, including antitrust settlements totaling at least $126 million in the last two years alone.
The newly formed Pro Cheer League, a subsidiary of Varsity Spirit, is set to launch in 2026.
This professional league is considered a huge leap forward, offering cheerleaders a 'long-overdue' pathway to extend their careers beyond their high school and college years.
Initial teams will be established in four major cities: Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, and San Diego.
The inaugural season will feature five events held across various locations, including Indianapolis, Houston, Atlanta, Anaheim, and Nashville.
Each of the four founding teams will have 30 athletes, all aged 18 or older.
The selection process for these rosters will be highly competitive and is scheduled to take place this fall.
Athletes chosen for the league can anticipate benefits, including 'elite training and part-time compensation,' which includes wages, travel and lodging expenses, uniforms, performance bonuses, and prize incentives.
All staff and coaches will required to undergo extensive training as part of the league's strong emphasis on professional standards.
The league has committed to making sure it's in full compliance with the guidelines set by USA Cheer, the sport's governing body in the United States.
There are also plans for the league to expand its reach with more teams in the years to come.
This positive development for professional cheerleading follows a challenging period for Varsity Brands.
The company - which was acquired by leading investment firm KKR last year - has faced multiple lawsuits, most notably an antitrust class action in Tennessee that resulted in an $82.5 million settlement last year.
This particular lawsuit, initiated by parents of cheerleaders, alleged that Varsity and its former private-equity backers, Bain Capital and Charlesbank Capital, maintained a monopoly over cheerleading events and inflated prices for apparel.
Earlier in 2023, Varsity agreed to a $43.5 million settlement in a lawsuit brought by Fusion Elite All Stars, a California-based operator of cheerleading gyms, which highlighted similar antitrust allegations.
Despite these settlements, Varsity Brands is still currently facing an ongoing antitrust lawsuit in Texas federal court, filed in 2023 by cheer competition producer Open Cheer.
KKR acquired Varsity last summer in a deal valued at $4.75 billion, including debt.
Founded in the early 1970s, Varsity Brands is still a big name in cheerleading, organizing over 600 regional and national competitions annually.
Some of these competitions are even broadcast on major sports networks like ESPN and CBS Sports.
The company also hosts summer camps attended by more than 350,000 people each year and provides extensive support to athletic programs and schools through apparel, training, and educational resources.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Mirror

an hour ago

• Daily Mirror

Lionel Messi's 'not friends' claim as Cristiano Ronaldo left rival in no doubt

Fans have long wondered just what the relationship between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is like, and the Argentinian legend has now opened up on where he stands with his rival The relationship between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has been the source of feverish speculation for years. The duo, often regarded as the two best players of all time, honed their intense rivalry in La Liga with Messi starring for Barcelona and Ronaldo for Real Madrid. While fans are eager to know if the pair are pals, the Argentinian World Cup winner has now opened up on where he stands with his Portuguese rival. Messi, 37, is still causing waves on the world's stage for Inter Miami, while Ronaldo, 40, now plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. ‌ Messi gave a timely reminder of his genius on Thursday, giving Miami their first win the Club World Cup with a breathtaking free-kick against FC Porto. ‌ Afterwards, he discussed his long-term adversary Ronaldo, claiming that they are not actually friends. However, he explained that's only the case as the pair barely get a chance to cross paths. "I have a lot of respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and for the career he's had and continues to have, because he's still competing at the highest level," Messi told DSports. "The competition with him was on the pitch. Each of us wanted to do the best for our team. Obviously, as always, everything stayed on the field. Off the pitch, we are two normal people. We're not friends obviously because we don't spend time together, but we've always treated each other with a lot of respect." His comments echo his take on the relationship that he made eight years ago. Messi told Spanish outlet Marca in 2017: "I don't know if we will be [friends]. Friendship is built through spending time together and getting to know each other. "We have no relationship, mainly because we only see each other at awards ceremonies and that's the only time we speak. Everything is fine, but our lives don't cross over very often." ‌ Does Ronaldo feel the same way? In an interview with Spanish outlet El Chiringuito earlier this year, the ex-Manchester United star claimed he is on good terms with the Miami star due their 'healthy' rivalry – although he has distanced himself from having a friendship with Messi in the recent past. "I have a good relationship with Leo Messi," said Ronaldo this year. "I was translating him in English at an award ceremony too! It was funny. It was a healthy rivalry, we got along." However, speaking in 2023, Ronaldo explained: "I don't see things like that [as a rivalry], the rivalry is gone. It was good, spectators liked it. ‌ "Those who like Cristiano Ronaldo don't have to hate Messi and vice versa. He's followed his path, and I have followed mine, regardless of playing outside of Europe. "The legacy lives on, but I don't see the rivalry like that. We shared the stage many times, it was 15 years. I'm not saying we're friends, I've never had dinner with him, but we're professional colleagues and we respect each other." While the constant debate of just who is the better player, as well as their La Liga battles, have spurred on the question of whether the two are friends - there is another point of contention between the pair: the Ballon d'Or. Messi has been crowned the winner of the prestigious award eight times, while Ronaldo is his closest challenger on five, which has caused some friction. Yet it seems the iconic duo, while not likely to be spotted dining together any time soon, have put their famous rivalry to one side, for now.

Reuters

an hour ago

• Reuters

Jamaican Olympic medallist Campbell switches allegiance to Turkey

June 20 (Reuters) - Jamaican athlete and Olympic shot put bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell has switched his allegiance to Turkey, with media reports saying his compatriot and discus gold medallist Roje Stona has followed suit. The Trinidad & Tobago Guardian stated both athletes would receive a $500,000 signing bonus to make the switch as well as monthly financial support. Campbell's agent confirmed he had changed his allegiance while Reuters has contacted Stona's representative and the Jamaica Olympic Association for comment. Campbell finished third in the shot put at Paris 2024 behind Americans Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs while Stona broke the Olympic record four days later in the discus to claim his country's first-ever medal in the event at the Games. They are not the first Jamaican athletes to switch nationalities, with sprinters Jak Ali Harvey and Emre Zafer Barnes also representing Turkey when they made the switch in 2015.

The Independent

an hour ago

• The Independent

Manchester City vs Al Ain prediction: Expect goals in Club World Cup clash in Atlanta

Manchester City vs Al Ain tips: Manchester City face UAE side Al Ain in the second of their Club World Cup matches in Atlanta in the early hours of Monday morning. Pep Guardiola's side sit joint top of the Group G table with Juventus after both sides won their opening games. City ran out 2-0 winners against Wydad Casablanca on Wednesday, with goals from Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku, before young defender Rico Lewis was sent off, so he will miss Monday's game through suspension. Juve ran out 5-0 winners against City's next opponents, in Washington, with Randal Kolo Muani and Francisco Conceição both scoring twice. The Italian side dominated all the statistics, with almost 64% of possession, more shots on target and more touches in the box, and we expect a similar pattern for City. Al Ain, managed by Vladimir Ivic, finished fifth in the Pro League, so it's easy to see why they were no match for Juventus. Since winning their second AFC Champions League title two seasons ago, they have struggled to rediscover that form, losing six and drawing the other two of their matches as they tried to defend their title, finishing bottom of the re-formatted league phase. Manchester City vs Al Ain prediction: City to shine in Atlanta After enduring their own difficult spell last season, City head into Monday's game winning eight of their last 10 matches, in all competitions, which helped them eventually finish third in the Premier League table. They have added several new signings to their squad since then, including Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders, who both made their debuts against Wydad. Midfielder Rodri made only his second appearance since September as he continues his recovery from a cruciate ligament injury, coming off the bench after an hour. Football betting sites are all backing City for the win at 1/14, while you can get 33/1 on an Al Ain win and 12/1 on a draw. The big question will be how many City can win by, and you can get 9/1 on them matching the 5-0 win secured by Juventus, but they would love to go one better to give themselves a chance of winning the group. Betting sites are offering 16/1 in the latest Club World Cup odds on a 6-0 win and it's not something you would rule out, especially as Erling Haaland hasn't found his stride just yet. However, we're going to cover the bases by taking over 5.5 goals in the match. Manchester City vs Al Ain prediction 1: Over 5.5 goals - 9/2 Bet365 Manchester City vs Al Ain betting: Fresh Foden in form Phil Foden scored one and provided an assist for the other on Wednesday and Guardiola will be hoping this is a sign of things to come from the England star. The 25-year-old has declared it is a 'new season, fresh me' after struggling for form for large parts of last season, which saw him score just 10 goals in 45 appearances for his boyhood club. This is a stark contrast to the previous season, when he netted 28 goals for club and country and City won the Premier League and England reached the final of the European Championships. We all know that when Foden does score, it usually sparks a goalscoring run. He broke a run of 20 games without a goal, last time out, but before that, he netted six goals in six games. Betting apps have him at 5/1 to score first or last and 6/5 to score at any time, and you can get 13/2 on him scoring two or more as he did against Brentford and Ipswich in consecutive matches earlier this season. Manchester City vs Al Ain prediction 2: Phil Foden to score at any time - 11/10 Bet365 Please gamble responsibly When having a bet, it's vital to practice responsible gambling. Betting can be addictive and it's important to stay in control of your betting. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford and when the fun stops, stop. Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers and self-exclusion options, to help them stay in control. But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, don't hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below.