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THE ONE and Prime Finale Merge Events for 2026

The ONE and Prime All Star Finale merge to launch THE ONE PRIME Finals, a new joint championship. The move adds another end-of-season option—but raises questions in an already crowded competitive landscape.

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Shane James

Publisher, Cheer Daily

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Photo by cheerdaily.com

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Two independent event platforms—The ONE Global Finals and the Prime All Star Finalehave announced a shared-format end-of-season event: THE ONE PRIME Finals.

The event will debut with a new name in spring 2026, THE ONE PRIME Finals consolidates event formats from both groups and offers teams an alternate competition option outside the larger national brands. The event will take place across four U.S. regions, with bids awarded via “37 participating” event producers. However, based on some light research some producers appear in both groups, making the total number of unique producers closer to 26–28.

“The One Prime Finals is the next evolution of our sport’s celebration,” said Ann Lehrmann, Executive Director, The ONE, “This partnership positions us to become bigger, better, and stronger. Together, we can elevate the athlete and program experience and unify under a single, premier end-of-season championship series.”

Facilitated by members of the Prime Alliance and Motus, the decision was made to eliminate duplication and offer a unified end-of-season model for athletes, coaches, and event partners. While framed as a unifying effort, the move effectively folds the previously announced Prime All Star Finale into THE ONE’s existing model. The ONE Global Finals was in its 14th year. The Prime Finale, which was set to launch in May 2026, will no longer operate independently.

“It’s not about one brand,” said Cole Stott, Managing Partner of the Prime All Star Finale. “It’s about working together to create something collaborative for the teams who want a unified experience.”

Affiliated Event Producers

The series is supported by two main contributor groups:

Prime Alliance Members (via Motus):

  • All Out Championships
  • All Day Cheerleading
  • ASC (American Spirit Championships)
  • Choice Events
  • CX Brands
  • Liberty Spirit
  • USCA
  • World Cheer Co.

THE ONE Bid-Giving Brands:

  • 9 Panel Cheer
  • AmeriCheer
  • AmeriDance
  • Champion Cheer Central
  • Cheer and Dance Extreme
  • Cheer Derby
  • Diamond Cheer & Dance
  • Eastern Cheer & Dance
  • Elevation Spirit Events
  • FCDA
  • Freedom Spirit Cheer & Dance Championships
  • Fusion Cheer & Dance
  • GMCE – The Greater Midwest Cheer Expo
  • ImpACT Cheerleading
  • Ontario Cheerleading Federation
  • Sapphire Productions
  • SHOUT! Cheer and Dance
  • Spirit Championships
  • Spirit Solutions
  • Star Spirit Productions
  • VIP
  • World Class Championships
  • Worldwide Spirit Association

THE ONE PRIME Finals continues in a saturated end-of-season market that already includes The Cheerleading Worlds, The Summit(s), The Allstar World Championships, Open Championships Series, U.S. Finals, and more. While this merger offers another option for gyms operating outside the Varsity and OCS systems, it also underscores ongoing fragmentation and the challenge of delivering consistent, high-quality experiences across dozens of independent producers.

With the rise of independent alliances and the departure of producers from USASF during the pandemic, the all star cheerleading industry now operates in more competing silos than at any point in its modern history.

Editor’s Note: We updated the article to include that The One Global Finals was in its 14th year.

Stay informed with the most trusted source in cheerleading media. For updates on THE ONE PRIME Finals and more industry news, visit cheerdaily.com and follow Cheer Daily across all social platforms.

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