Jeff Webb

Jeff Webb (July 1, 1949 – March 19, 2026) was an American businessman and executive who was primarily focused on the development of cheerleading, publisher, and conservative activist. He was the founder of the Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA) and Varsity Spirit, along with its parent company, Varsity Brands. Webb was the founder and president of the International Cheer Union (ICU), the world governing body of the sport of cheerleading, as well as the founder and chairman of The New American Populist. Webb was described by People magazine as "the father of modern cheerleading".

Webb was a publisher and media executive, serving as co‑publisher and senior news editor of the conservative publication Human Events in the later years of his career.

Early life and education Jeff Webb was born on July 1, 1949, in Dallas, Texas. He attended the University of Oklahoma, where he served as a yell leader for the school's cheer squad. While in college, he worked for the National Cheerleaders Association, founded by Lawrence Herkimer. Although he initially planned to attend law school, he instead accepted an offer to work for the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA), which launched his business career.

Career In 1971, Webb began working full-time for Herkimer's NCA. In 1974, he founded the Universal Cheerleading Association (UCA) and Varsity Spirit. He later purchased the NCA after Herkimer retired.

By 2004, Varsity Spirit, based in Memphis, reported earning an annual revenue of more than $150 million. In addition, the company also reported controlling 90 percent of the market which outfitted the United States’ estimated 3.5 million cheerleaders.

Webb became chairman of Herff Jones in 2014.

Webb was often credited with modernizing cheerleading by making it more competitive, expanding its mainstream visibility through partnerships with ESPN, promoting greater acrobatics and athleticism, and introducing new uniform designs, among other innovations. He founded and served as president of the International Cheer Union, the world governing body for the sport of cheerleading.

He was recognized as one of the figures who advanced international recognition of the sport, Webb also faced criticism for the monopolistic behavior attributed to Varsity within the cheerleading industry.

After stepping down from Varsity in December 2020, he was named co‑publisher and senior news editor of the conservative publication Human Events.

Webb served as a mentor to Charlie Kirk.

Personal life and death Webb was married and had two children. He died on March 19, 2026, in Memphis, Tennessee, from a head injury sustained in a fall while playing pickleball. He was 76.