Varsity Spirit is starting a professional cheerleading league that promises to pay athletes, joining the crowded niche sports market that already includes softball, volleyball, 3-on-3 basketball, lacrosse, indoor football and more, clamoring for both fans' attention and their dollars.

Pro Cheer League is billed as the first professional cheerleading league for athletes 18 and older, designed to give cheerleaders the chance to keep competing after college.

Bill Seely, president of Varsity Spirit, based in Memphis, Tennessee, sees plenty of opportunity for all these sports to succeed. This cheer league's advantage comes from the sport's growth since the 1970s, along with Varsity's own fan base through its cheerleading, dance team camps, events and shows.

“That’s going to help us really kind of build this out in a way that is sustainable and will continue to grow not just domestically but globally, Seely said.

Varsity Spirit has had more than 80,000 people attend its events. The Pro Cheer League will try to tap into that fan base by competing the same night as other events starting in January in Indianapolis, when competition begins.

Each match will feature three periods of competition, with two focusing on cheerleading skills, stunts, basket tosses and tumbling in bracket-style rounds. The final period will feature choreography and music.

“We hope a media deal, which we’re working on right now, will help kind of bridge beyond the existing fan base, Seely said. “And we’re trying to build something that entertains families, friends and gives everyone just a great show that they want to come out to.

Best for the cheerleaders will be money for their athleticism. Compensation will include pay, money for travel, lodging and uniforms along with bonuses and prizes.

Seely noted stunt is on track for the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship status for women by spring 2027 after being designated an emerging sport in 2023. The International Olympic Committee recognized cheerleading as a sport in 2021.

“We just felt like it was the right next step for the activity and to really kind of magnify it to help inspire young people to participate in it,” Seely said.

This article was provided by The Associated Press.