AMARILLO, Texas — The U.S. All Star Federation (USASF), The Open Championship Series and Deep South Spirit announced Thursday that they have resolved all pending legal disputes between the organizations.
The joint announcement came one day after the parties notified the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas that they had reached a confidential settlement resolving the remaining claims in a federal antitrust lawsuit.
“USASF, the Open Championship Series, and Deep South Cheer are pleased to announce that all pending legal disputes have been resolved to the satisfaction of the parties,” the organizations said in a joint statement issued August 13. “Each organization looks forward to promoting the continued growth of All Star Cheer and All Star Dance, and supporting the athletes, coaches, and families who make this sport possible.”
USASF also released a separate statement describing the agreement as a “mutually satisfactory resolution” involving Open Cheer, Deep South and their ownership group.
“We are proud of where we landed and, more importantly, grateful to now move forward with our full attention where it belongs — on our members, our athletes, and the future of All Star,” USASF said.
The broader announcement clarifies that the resolution extends beyond the antitrust claims pending in Texas and encompasses all pending legal disputes among the parties.
That includes a separate Florida trademark case involving the names “The Cheerleading Worlds” and “Worlds.” The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit revived USASF’s trademark claims in June and returned the case to the district court for further proceedings.
The organizations did not disclose the financial or operational terms of their resolution. No details were released regarding possible payments, policy changes, trademark usage or other conditions.
Open Championship Series and Deep South Cheer joined USASF in notifying the federal court in Amarillo on Wednesday that they had reached a settlement resolving all remaining claims in the Texas antitrust case.
“The Parties are in the process of finalizing the settlement agreement and anticipate filing a stipulation of dismissal of all claims in this action by no later than August 27, 2026,” attorneys for both sides wrote in the August 12 filing.
The court must still accept the parties’ proposed dismissal before the Texas case formally concludes.
The lawsuit, filed in September 2023, accused USASF, Varsity Spirit and other organizations of participating in an unlawful group boycott and using exclusionary membership rules and other allegedly anticompetitive practices to limit competition in the All Star cheerleading event market.
The defendants contested those allegations, which were never decided by a jury.
In March 2024, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk denied motions seeking to dismiss the lawsuit, allowing the plaintiffs’ antitrust claims to proceed into discovery. The ruling did not determine whether the allegations were true. It found that the plaintiffs had presented claims sufficient for the litigation to continue.
The International Cheer Union (ICU) and Varsity Spirit reached a separate confidential settlement with Open Championship Series and Deep South earlier this year. Those agreements removed ICU and Varsity from the litigation and left USASF as the final remaining defendant. The court subsequently directed the plaintiffs and USASF to continue mediation.
Wednesday’s settlement and Thursday’s joint announcement now move the remaining litigation between USASF, Open Championship Series and Deep South toward its formal conclusion.
USASF said it plans to move forward with a continued focus on bringing the All Star community together and creating “a path forward built on safety, fair play and opportunity for all.”
