Jeff Webb, the entrepreneur who founded and built the cheerleading powerhouse Varsity Spirit, has died at 76 following an accident. His death was confirmed by Varsity Spirit, the company he founded in 1974, originally as the Universal Cheerleading Association. According to cheerleading website Cheer Daily, Varsity Spirit president Bill Seely, Webb’s protégé, told the company’s employees in an email that Webb had been removed from life support two weeks after suffering a head injury during a game of pickleball. A spokesperson for Varsity did not respond to a request for comment. The company publicly announced his passing on its social media channels but did not specify the cause of death. The International Cheer Union, which Webb founded and served as president, wrote on Instagram that Webb had passed “following complications after an accident.” News of Webb’s passing sent shockwaves through the cheer world he had long presided over. A former collegiate sideline cheerleader at the University of Oklahoma, Webb grew Varsity from a modest cheer training business to a multi-billion-dollar enterprise through aggressive expansion and acquisitions, drawing both acclaim and condemnation. While celebrated for creating opportunities for millions of athletes, the Memphis-based company also faced criticism over its alleged monopolistic practices and concerns that it prioritized profits over the safety and well-being of its young competitors. In 2011, Webb sold the business to Herff Jones—the school awards and regalia supplier—and became CEO and president of the combined entity, which later rebranded as Varsity Brands. The enterprise continued to expand, acquiring sports apparel company BSN Sports in 2013. In 2014, Varsity was acquired by Charlesbank Capital Partners for $1.5 billion.#jeff_webb #varsity_spirit #bill_seely #international_cheer_union #charlesbank_capital_partners
