Jeff Webb, the Memphis entrepreneur behind Varsity Spirit and a driving force in turning cheerleading into a national and international competitive industry, died Thursday, March 19, 2026. He was 75.
The news of Webb’s death was first reported Thursday by the Memphis Business Journal, which described him as an originator of the modern cheerleading industry and provided the initial public notice of his passing.
Webb launched the Universal Cheerleading Association in 1974 and grew that operation into Varsity Spirit, a company that runs camps, national competitions, apparel lines and televised events. Varsity’s historical pages credit his early camps with introducing skills and routines that became staples of modern competitive cheer, helping turn what was once largely a sideline activity into a major industry.
A filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and other company records show Webb held senior executive roles as the business expanded into what became Varsity Brands. In later years, he stepped back from day-to-day leadership to focus on global development of the sport.
Legal disputes
In recent years, Webb’s influence was accompanied by a series of legal challenges. Federal complaints filed around the country alleged misconduct by coaches at some gyms and raised questions about industry governance and market power. Court dockets reviewed on Justia show Webb was named in some of those cases, with motions and partial dismissals reflected in the public record. Coverage of the complex litigation has also been reported by trade outlets such as Insurance Journal.
Cheer’s global rise
Beyond the courtroom filings, Webb played a central role in moving cheer onto the international stage. He helped found the International Cheer Union, and the ICU’s full recognition by the International Olympic Committee in July 2021 is cited in ICU materials as a milestone for the sport. Those developments are described in ICU documents and a contemporaneous PR Newswire release.
In Memphis, where the companies Webb built remain based, the industry he shaped is likely to grapple with his complicated legacy in the months ahead. The first public notice of his death came via the Memphis Business Journal, which did not include further details about the circumstances of his passing.
