Latest news with #NCAAll-StarNationalChampionship
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Families Sue Organizers, Operators Over Cheer Competition Pandemonium
Several families have taken legal action against the organizers and venue operators of the 2025 NCA All-Star National Championship over the chaotic incident that occurred at the event in March. As reported at the time in The Dallas Express, the annual event turned into a nightmarish scene following reports of the presence of an active shooter within the facility. The confusion led to widespread disorder, prompting attendees to flee in panic. The incident occurred on Saturday, March 1, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, the site of the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) All-Star Championship. Nine families are suing Varsity Spirit, Varsity Brands, OVG Facilities, Oak View Group, Global Spectrum, and Omni Hotels Management Corporation, alleging the organizers and operators failed to provide basic security measures. According to the Dallas Police Department, a fight between two people led to multiple poles being knocked over, resulting in loud noises that attendees mistook for gunshots. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit allege the ensuing chaos left them physically and emotionally injured because of a lack of safety planning. 'If they're going to put on an event of that size, they provide adequate protections and safety that those patrons deserve,' said Ashlea Schwarz, an attorney with Paul LLP representing the families out of Kansas City, Missouri, per WFAA. In one instance, says Schwarz, one of her clients awoke in the ICU with brain bleeds after being trampled and knocked unconscious during the mayhem. 'There were no serious injuries—no life-threatening injuries? Tell that to my client who was in the ICU for days with a double brain bleed,' said Schwarz. The plaintiffs, seeking more than $1 million in damages, allege that despite the cheer event being governed by the Convention Center's safety and security protocols, no emergency plans were executed during the disorder. They further claim that security staff, rather than assisting people, were running alongside attendees. 'The security was running with all of the patrons there… They weren't stopping to help direct,' Schwarz said. According to Schwarz, many more families have contacted her law firm. 'This is believed to be the first lawsuit filed in connection with this incident. But we've had roughly 200 families reach out to us. Each one has a case,' she said.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Varsity's Cheer Safety Revamp Under KKR Strained by Event Mayhem
Last summer, as Varsity Brands neared the final stages of its $4.75 billion acquisition by KKR, the cheerleading parent company touted the hiring of its first-ever chief security officer, Lisa Olivieri, a former U.S. Secret Service special agent in charge. 'There is nothing more important to us than the safety and security of our employees, athletes, participants, and customers,' Varsity Brands CEO Adam Blumenfeld said in a statement at the time. The appointment of Olivieri, who previously ran security for online furniture retailer Wayfair, was part of a broader set of initiatives announced last year as Varsity sought to shore of its reputation for keeping its vulnerable clientele safe. More from Varsity Brands Taking on $2.4B Debt to Fund KKR Takeover From Bain Varsity Cheerleading, Bain Agree to $82.5 Million Antitrust Settlement Varsity, Bain Keep Settling Cheer Suits as Possible Sale Looms These efforts followed the company's settlements in several high-profile cheerleading sexual abuse lawsuits, which accused Varsity and its former corporate owner Bain Capital of fostering a cheerleading culture ripe for abuse. In addition to hiring Olivieri, Varsity brought on former child protection prosecutor Kristen Meeks as its associate general counsel, enlisted external security consultants with federal law enforcement experience and created new, board-level safety committees. The company also amended its rules and regulations to address aggressive or disruptive behavior from participants, coaches, gym owners and spectators. Olivieri, for her part, hailed Varsity as a 'recognized leader in safety,' an assertion that was open for debate. It has come under new scrutiny this month following a chaotic and traumatizing incident at Varsity's largest cheerleading event, the NCA All-Star National Championship in Dallas, which drew more than 58,000 participants and spectators over three days. On March 1, police descended upon Dallas' Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, where the championship was holding its second day competitions, as a stampede of cheerleaders, coaches and parents ran fleeing from what many believed to be an active shooter situation. While local authorities have since said the incident spawned from a physical altercation between two attendees, and that firearms were not involved, the resulting melee left at least 10 people with non-life-threatening injuries and numerous claiming emotion distress. As of this week, no arrests had been made and the investigation remains ongoing, a Dallas police spokesperson said in an email. On March 5, Bill Seely, the president of Varsity Brands' cheer subsidiary, Varsity Spirit, released an open letter calling the situation 'unsettling for all of us' and announcing 'immediate steps' the company was taking to strengthen its safety and security for future events. Those included increasing the presence of security officials and police officers onsite, banning the sale or possession of alcohol during events and evaluating a 'clear bag policy' for the upcoming 2025-26 season. Varsity offered March 1-only ticket holders a total refund of their $30 entrance fee and a 50% refund for those who purchased the $80 weekend pass. The incident is poised to spawn new litigation against Varsity, just as the company had cleared a heavy docket of legal battles—including the sexual abuse cases and three federal class-action antitrust lawsuits—dating back to 2020. One of those antitrust suits resulted in an $82.5 million settlement last May. Kansas City law firm Paul LLP, which represented plaintiffs in that suit, is now assisting NCA All-Star attendees weighing legal action against Varsity and the city of Dallas for alleged negligence in securing the event. 'Had these companies prepared the event better, provided adequate security, had an evacuation plan in place, or so many other precautions, the entire situation could have been avoided,' the law firm wrote in a notice posted on its website in the days following the event. In an interview with Sportico, Ashlea Schwarz, a partner at Paul LLP, stated that the firm had been in contact with over 300 individuals who attended the NCA All-Star Championship and had secured representation agreements with many of them. Based on preliminary conversations with people at the event, Schwarz also expressed doubts about the police's working theory, which attributes the chaos to a fight between two attendees that allegedly knocked metal poles to the ground, creating noises mistaken for gunshots. Police have said that bullet holes found in a window of the convention center were connected to a separate criminal mischief incident from years ago. Schwarz said that after making a 'big hullaballoo of hiring a chief security officer and increasing security,' she believes that Varsity failed to live up to its rhetoric. While metal detectors were not in use, Varsity said it is 'accelerating the rollout of weapon detection technology or screening devices' for its future events. Any litigation will fall to Varsity's new chief legal officer, Jim Baldwin, who was hired in February to succeed Burton Brillhart. Baldwin previously led the legal department at Keurig Dr Pepper, before retiring in 2021. Varsity is currently entangled in an antitrust lawsuit brought by rival tournament operator Open Cheer & Dance, which was filed in September 2023. Additionally, it continues to litigate with multiple insurance providers over the extent to which its policies should cover the legal fees and payout costs associated with the sex abuse lawsuit settlements. Last month, a Delaware Superior Court judge granted the motions to dismiss by two of the 10 insurers, Arch Insurance Company and Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company, which Varsity had sued for breach of contract. In more uplifting news for the company, Varsity, which also owns BSN Sports, announced this week that it has secured a strategic investment from Patricof Co, the private equity firm known for partnering with professional athletes. Best of MLS Franchise Valuations Ranking List: From LAFC to CF Montréal Tennis Prize Money Tracker: Which Player Has Earned the Most in 2025? Who Is Josh Harris, the Washington Commanders' Owner?
Fox News
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Panic at top cheerleading competition in Texas leaves several injured, police say
A fight at a national cheerleading competition in Dallas sparked panic on Saturday and led to injuries for those trying to escape a chaotic situation. A fight at the NCA All-Star National Championship caused multiple poles to be knocked over and sparked a panic from those inside the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center, Dallas police said. At least 10 people were injured trying to evacuate the facility, according to authorities. The knocked-over poles made loud noise and sparked reports of gunfire inside the convention center, witnesses told FOX 4 News. Police said no shooting occurred, but spectators ran from the convention center in a "stampede." "I was a little nervous. I thought I was doing good, and then we got here, and it was just take a deep breath and let's do this for our kids," Danielle Garvin, a parent of a cheerleader who competed in the competition, told the station. Police said those who were reported to be injured suffered bumps, bruises and even broken bones. Some performances at the NCA All-Star National Championship were canceled, and the event resumed Sunday. The station reported that some teams decided not to compete in the event after the incident. Tiana Cody told FOX 4 News that her daughter decided to perform on Sunday. "She didn't feel pressured, I didn't feel pressured, and it felt like a community, and I appreciate having that community," she said. "Cheer is more than bows, glitter and fun. It's a culture and the culture of cheer is that they are resilient, and they can withstand." The NCA All-Star National Championship is one of the top cheerleading competitions in the U.S. Winners receive a share of $500,000 in cash and prizes. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
