Varsity Spirit and Scripps Sports to Bring Professional Cheer to National Television – Scripps

Varsity Spirit – a division of Varsity Brands and a global leader in cheerleading, dance team and band apparel, camps and competitions, and yearbook – has reached an exclusive broadcast agreement with Scripps Sports to deliver live coverage of the inaugural Pro Cheer League season to viewers across the United States.

Under the multi-year agreement, ION, Scripps’ national sports and entertainment network that reaches every U.S. TV household over-the-air and on all major pay TV and connected TV/FAST services, will air all five live Pro Cheer League events during the 2026 season, which runs from Jan. 16 to March 27, 2026.

“We’ve been rapidly expanding our robust portfolio of professional sports and we’re thrilled to welcome the Pro Cheer League to ION,” says Brian Lawlor, president of Scripps Sports. “We look forward to showcasing these world-class athletes in a new professional sports league, combining the high-energy of cheerleading and engaging storytelling that will leave everyone wanting more.”

“This agreement with Scripps Sports gives our athletes and fans the national stage they deserve from the moment our first season begins,” says Varsity Spirit President Bill Seely. “We’ve watched this incredible sport grow at all levels for decades and ION will help introduce a national audience to these incredibly talented professional athletes who best embody the skill, energy, athleticism, and precision unique to cheer. Our goal is to not only grow our fanbase but inspire a whole new generation of athletes to turn pro and build a league and career that never before seemed possible.”

The Pro Cheer League brings the intensity of professional sports to cheerleading for the first time on national television with paid athletes in an all-new competition format. The league includes the Atlanta Air, Dallas Drive, Golden State Grit, and Miami Metal with each match featuring high-energy routines packed with stunts, tumbling, and synchronized choreography, as well as head-to-head skills challenges. With four regular season matches before the championship finals broadcast live on ION, viewers will have a front-row seat for every stunt, toss and flip of the newest professional sport. Competition begins in Indianapolis and continues through the Pro Cheer League Championship in Nashville.

This agreement was coordinated through Paramount Global Content Distribution, Paramount Sports Entertainment and Foundation Media Partners. Their support underscores a shared commitment to delivering dynamic, fan-focused experiences through live matches and other unscripted content, allowing viewers to follow the league all season long.