Jeff Webb, Founder of Varsity Spirit and Architect of Modern Cheerleading, Dies After Accident

Jeff Webb (July 1, 1949 – March 19, 2026), the entrepreneur widely credited with transforming competitive cheerleading into a global industry, passed away March 19, 2026 at the age of 76 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was the founder of Varsity Spirit and one of the most influential figures in the history of the sport of cheerleading and dance.

In an email sent to the Varsity Spirit community, company president Bill Seely said Webb suffered a fall while playing pickleball two weeks earlier and sustained a severe head injury. Webb was hospitalized following the accident, and his family later made the decision to remove him from life support.

Jeff Webb
1950 – 2026

A Varsity Brands spokesperson released the following statement:

Varsity Brands is saddened by the passing of Jeff Webb, founder of Varsity Spirit and modern cheerleading. Jeff played a pivotal role in shaping cheerleading as it exists today and in building a community that has impacted generations of athletes, coaches, and teams. In recent years, his contributions helped grow the sport both in the United States and globally, including his work with the International Cheer Union, which achieved full recognition by the International Olympic Committee in 2021.

We extend our condolences to Jeff’s family and loved ones, and to the many across the spirit community who were influenced by his work.”

Webb built what would become the largest organization in cheerleading, launching Universal Cheerleaders Association in 1974 and later expanding those efforts into Varsity Spirit. Over the following decades, the organization grew into a global enterprise encompassing competitions, training camps, apparel, and media. His work helped shape the structure of modern competitive cheerleading.

A former University of Oklahoma yell leader, Webb entered the cheer industry working with Lawrence “Herkie” Herkimer and the National Cheerleaders Association before launching his own vision for the sport through UCA. His approach introduced new elements to cheerleading, including partner stunts, pyramids, tumbling, and the use of music in routines. The innovations helped move cheerleading beyond traditional sideline roles and toward a year-round competitive sport.

Through Varsity and its related organizations, Webb played a central role in the growth of major competitions, training camps, and the modern cheerleading marketplace. Varsity Brands, the parent company that grew from those early ventures, eventually became one of the largest companies in the spirit industry.

As the cheerleading industry continued to grow, Varsity’s business expanded as well. In 2014, private equity firm Charlesbank Capital Partners acquired a majority stake in Varsity Brands in a deal valued at roughly $1.5 billion, helping consolidate the company’s apparel, camp, and competition businesses under one corporate structure. Four years later, in 2018, Bain Capital purchased Varsity Brands in a transaction valued at approximately $2.5 billion. In 2024, Bain Capital agreed to sell a majority stake in Varsity Brands to private equity firm KKR in a deal valued at about $4.75 billion, underscoring the scale of the global industry that had grown from Webb’s original vision.

Webb also helped push cheerleading onto the international stage. As president of the International Cheer Union, he worked to organize national federations across the world and advocate for recognition of cheerleading as a global sport. Those efforts helped lead to recognition from the International Olympic Committee and placed cheerleading on a path toward potential Olympic participation.

Across generations of athletes, coaches, and gym owners, Webb’s influence reshaped the cheerleading landscape. From summer camps and national championships to the global expansion of the sport, his vision helped create opportunities for millions of athletes around the world.

Additional details regarding memorial arrangements have not yet been announced.