Jeff Webb (entrepreneur)

Last updated
Jeff Webb
Jeff Webb by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Webb in 2023
Alma mater University of Oklahoma
Occupation Entrepreneur
Years active1974-present
Known forFounder of Universal Cheerleading Association and Varsity Brands
Website Varsity website

Jeff Webb is an American entrepreneur and business executive primarily focused on the development of cheerleading. He is the founder of the Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA) and Varsity Spirit (along with its parent, Varsity Brands).[ citation needed ] He is the founder and current president of the International Cheer Union, the world governing body of the sport of cheerleading, as well as founder and chairman of The New American Populist. [1]

Contents

Education

Webb attended the University of Oklahoma where he was a yell leader for the school's cheer squad. [2] During college, Webb worked for the National Cheerleaders Association which was founded by Lawrence Herkimer. [3] [4] He planned to go to law school but instead accepted an offer to work at the NCA, which launched his business career. [5]

Career

In 1971, Webb began working full-time for Lawrence Herkimer's National Cheerleaders Association (NCA). He went on to found the Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA) and Varsity Spirit in 1974 and would later purchase the NCA after Herkimer retired. [3] [4] Like the NCA, the UCA began as a series of training camps and clinics for high school and college cheerleaders that eventually added cheerleading competitions. [3] Varsity Fashions is a cheer apparel and accessory brand. [6]

In 2012, Varsity merged with Herff Jones, an Indianapolis company that produces items like graduation apparel and class rings. Webb would serve as president and CEO of the company effective July 1, 2013. Webb's company had already become known as Varsity Brands. Along with Herff Jones, the company also oversees BSN Sports (which it acquired in 2013), Varsity Spirit, the UCA, and the NCA. [3] [4] [7] [8]

In 2014, Webb became the Chairman of Herff Jones. [8] In 2016, he stepped down as CEO of Varsity Brands. Bain Capital Private Equity bought Varsity Brands for $2.8 billion in 2018. Varsity Brands' annual revenues exceed $1.8 billion, according to the company. It has more than 8,000 full-time employees. [5] As of 2019, Webb is Varsity Spirit's chairman, [9] and continues to teach and lead cheer camps. [5]

Webb is often credited with modernizing cheerleading by making it more competitive, bringing it to the mainstream audience with partnerships with ESPN, favoring more acrobatics and athleticism, and creating new outfit designs (among other things). [10] [3] He is the founder and current president of the International Cheer Union, the world governing body of the sport of cheerleading. [11] [12] He is also recognized as one of the leaders in the sport who has pushed for international recognition, including adding it as an Olympic sport, [13] even though he testified in 2010, that he never imagined that his competitions would establish a new sport; rather, he understood them as a publicity vehicle for his startup business. [14] Webb has been criticized due to the monopolistic behavior of Varsity in the cheerleading space. [15] [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheerleading</span> Athletic activity based on cheering for a team

Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to entertain the audience, or for competition. Cheerleading routines typically range anywhere from one to three minutes, and contain components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting.

The Universal Cheerleaders Association Division I-A College Championships were first introduced in 1978 on CBS Sports. Top cheerleading teams from colleges across the U.S. and foreign countries perform routines consisting of gymnastics, partner stunts, dance moves, pyramids and high-tosses called basket tosses. The championship is split into large co-ed, small coed and all-girl divisions, with large co-ed being the most prestigious of the three. The University of Kentucky has won the most co-ed championships with 25 national titles. The University of South Florida won the most recent co-ed event in 2023, making it three championships in a row for the Bulls. The 2023 all-girl competition was won by Western Kentucky University, their second title in three years. Only four teams have ever won consecutive championships in UCA Division I-A history. The University of Kentucky has done it five times. The Wildcats first accomplished this in 1987-1988 and, most recently, from 2016 to 2019. The other cheerleading squads to achieve consecutive championships are the University of South Florida (2021-2023), NC State (1990-1991) and Ohio State University (1981-1983). The competition is run by Varsity Spirit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herff Jones</span>

Herff Jones is an American company that manufactures and sells educational recognition and achievement products and motivational materials, and has been in continuous operation since 1920. Herff Jones maintains production facilities across the United States as well as in Canada, and has a network of over 700 independent sales representatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheer Athletics</span> American all-star cheerleading program

Cheer Athletics is one of the largest All-Star cheerleading programs in the United States, with thousands of athletes competing on 80+ teams from Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Frisco, Texas; Omaha, Nebraska; Pensacola, Florida; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Plano, Texas; Rochester, New York; Rockwall, Texas; St. Louis, Missouri; and Telford, England. Cheer Athletics has won 24 World Championships at The Cheerleading Worlds sponsored by the USASF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. All Star Federation</span> American cheerleading organization

The U.S. All Star Federation (USASF) is one of the four main governing bodies for all star cheerleading and dance in the United States. The USASF was founded in December 2003 by cheerleading competition sponsors National Cheerleaders Association, Universal Cheerleaders Association, Cheersport, and America's Best to develop a standard set of safety rules and competition regulations and conduct the Cheerleading Worlds.

The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers Spirit Squads comprise the cheerleading organization at the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota. Being the first program ever to form worldwide, the University of Minnesota is consequently considered the "Birthplace of Cheerleading". Today, the Gopher Spirit Squads consist of four separate squads: a cheer squad, a dance team, a hockey cheer squad, and the school's mascot, Goldy Gopher. The squads consistently perform well at national competitions including 21 national championships in dance since 2003, a 2nd-place finish for All-Girl in 2013, a fifth-place finish in 2017, and four-time national champion Goldy Gopher in 2011, 2013, 2017, and 2018. The current head coach is Sam Owens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Cup All Stars</span>

World Cup All Stars, founded by Elaine Pascale and Joelle Antico, is home to the 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2017, and 2019 USASF Cheerleading Worlds champions in the Large Senior All Girl division, the World Cup Shooting Stars. In the International Junior All Girl division, the World Cup Starlites are the 2007 and 2008 World Champions. World Cup was founded in 1994 in Freehold, New Jersey by owner Elaine Pascale and her daughter Joelle Antico. World Cup is one of the most respected all-star programs in the U.S.

Cheerleading is a sport that is practised all throughout the world, with increasing popularity within the United Kingdom. Cheerleading has over 89,000 athletes within the United Kingdom, with just over 900 teams in England alone, with the newfound success and passion of UK based teams on the international stage helping to change perceptions within the region. Teams from the United Kingdom have gained international recognition, with the Olympic Channel producing a 10 minute short documentary following United Allstars' team Ruby to highlight the increase momentum of competitive cheerleading within the United Kingdom.

Lawrence Russell Herkimer was an American innovator in the field of cheerleading. He created the Herkie cheerleading jump, which was named after him, and received a patent for the pom-pom. Herkimer described his contribution to the field as taking it "from the raccoon coat and pennant to greater heights".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sammy Bearkat</span>

Sammy Bearkat is the mascot of Sam Houston State University (SHSU), located in Huntsville, Texas. He is a popular attraction at many athletic events such as football, basketball, and volleyball. He also appears for various campus and community functions. Sammy's two-minute routine earned him a national championship of the mascots division at the 2005 United Spirit Association Collegiate National Championship. Sammy was also named the 2010 and 2011 National Cheerleading Association (NCA) Mascot National Champion. In the 2012 nationals season, Sammy competed with the SHSU Co-Ed Cheer Team at the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) collegiate cheer competition. Together they won first place and earned the title of NCA Division I Cheer National Collegiate Champions. In 2013 Sammy also competed with the SHSU Co-Ed Cheer Team who won their second straight national championship title for NCA. Sammy returned to the Band Shell in Daytona Beach to compete alongside the SHSU All-Girl cheer team who won the NCA All-Girl Division I National Championship Title in 2014. In 2015 Sammy was able to wrap his paws around another NCA Division I title as he competed alongside the Co-Ed Cheer Team. In 2016, Sammy competed alongside the SHSU Division I Co-Ed Cheer Team to win another 1st place NCA National Championship. Sammy was also chosen as the 2016 NCA Mascot National Champion after showcasing a great routine in Daytona Beach, Florida. Sammy has now brought home 1st place in various different flavors in 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 & 2016, 2017, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Varsity Spirit</span> American company

Varsity Spirit, LLC, also known as Varsity, is an American cheerleading company owned by Varsity Brands. Founded in 1974 as the Universal Cheerleaders Association, the company is a manufacturer of apparel for cheerleading and dance teams, organizer of cheerleading competitions, and operator of training camps and sanctioning bodies.

The US National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) was established as a way to bring cheerleaders together to learn new skills. Since 1951, the NCA has held summer camps, and is credited with the invention of the herkie jump, the pom pom, the spirit stick and being the first uniform manufacturer.

Varsity Brands, Inc. is an American apparel company owned by Bain Capital. It is primarily focused on academic apparel and memorabilia, with its operations split among three major subsidiaries, including Herff Jones—a manufacturer of products such as class rings, graduation caps and gowns, and yearbooks; Varsity Spirit—which produces apparel and competitions in cheerleading; and BSN Sports, a distributor of sports uniforms and equipment.

The only public high school in Winchester, Kentucky, George Rogers Clark High School opened in the fall of 1963, consolidating Clark County High School and Winchester High School, locally referred to as county high and city high respectively. In 2011 construction began on a new building. In the fall of 2013, and a remarkable 50 years since the opening of the original facility, all student activity and faculty moved to the new facility, keeping the name "George Rogers Clark High School.” The new building has one athletic facility.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UNC-Chapel Hill Cheerleading</span>

The University of North Carolina has run cheerleading teams since 1914, performing at Tar Heels sports events. They have frequently participated in cheerleading competitions at the national level. Currently there are two teams: JV and Varsity.

The National Dance Alliance (NDA), originally named NCA Superstar, was established in 1999. NDA is the sister company of the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA), which was founded by Lawrence Herkimer in 1948. In 1976, NCA created NCA Superstar to make a distinction between the dance and cheerleading aspects of the company. Eventually in 1999, NCA Superstar changed its name to the National Dance Alliance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheerleading in Japan</span>

Cheerleading is a recognized sport in Japan that requires physical strength and athletic ability. Cheerleading is available at the junior high school, high school, collegiate, club, and all-star level. Teams can either be all female or coed featuring males and females.

In Australia, competitive cheerleading is a minor sport, seeing over a 10,000% increase in athlete participation between 2000 and 2022. This growth happened through a 15–20% increase in participation each year between 2006 and 2016.

<i>Cheer</i> (TV series) American TV docuseries about Navarros competitive cheer team

Cheer is an American sport television docuseries airing on Netflix starting in January 2020. The six-part series follows the nationally ranked forty-member Navarro College Bulldogs Cheer Team from Corsicana, Texas, under the direction of coach Monica Aldama, as they prepare to compete in the National Cheerleading Championship held annually in Daytona Beach, Florida. The episodes focus especially on five individual Cheer Team members and include elements of the history of cheerleading, including the formation of the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA).

Monica Aldama is an American cheerleading coach. She is the coach of the co-ed cheerleading team at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas.

References

  1. ↑ Frost, Mikenzie (15 June 2019). "Squash Amash rally: "If Trump were here, he would say, Amash - you're fired!"". WWMT West Michigan. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  2. ↑ Barnett, JA (12 January 2016). "Cheerleading in the Olympics and more with Varsity Brands founder Jeff Webb". USA Today . Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Branch, John (14 March 2009). "Shaking Pompoms for the Grandfather of Modern Cheerleading". The New York Times . Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Buchanan, Leigh (22 February 2016). "The Battle for the Cheerleading-Uniform Industry Is Surprisingly Cutthroat and Appropriately Glittery". Slate . Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 Mink, Michael (25 January 2019). "Varsity Brands' Jeff Webb Rebranded Cheerleading With Focus On Athleticism, Entertainment". Investor's Business Daily.
  6. ↑ Sherman, Elisabeth (4 May 2017). "The Evolution of the Cheerleading Uniform, From Bulky Sweaters to Crop Tops". Racked.com . Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  7. ↑ McLaughlin, Kathleen (11 December 2012). "Cheerleading CEO to become chief at Herff Jones". Indianapolis Business Journal . Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  8. 1 2 Sheffield, Michael (10 June 2014). "Varsity CEO named chairman of Herff Jones". Memphis Business Journal . Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  9. ↑ "Varsity Brands Announces the Appointment of CEO". Multi Channel Merchant. 10 April 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  10. ↑ Roberts, MB (11 September 2013). "The Birth of Modern Cheerleading". American Profile. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  11. ↑ Mather, Victor (8 December 2016). "Great Moments in Cheerleading: Could the Olympics Be Next?". The New York Times . Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  12. ↑ Hendricks, Maggie (29 May 2017). "Behind the scenes as cheerleading works to prove it should be an Olympic sport". USA Today . Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  13. ↑ Hendricks, Maggie (29 May 2017). "Behind the scenes as cheerleading works to prove it should be an Olympic sport". USA Today.
  14. ↑ Text of Biediger v. Quinnipiac University, 728 F. Supp. 2d 62 (D. Conn. 2010) is available from:  CourtListener  
  15. ↑ Stoller, Matt (14 Jan 2020). "This is Not a Democracy, It's a Cheerocracy: The Cheerleading Monopoly Varsity Brands". The BIG Newsletter.
  16. ↑ Libit, Daniel (21 Sep 2021). "A Tangled Jeff Webb Weaves Cheerleading's Olympic Dreams". Sportico.
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