Leading entertainment-focused brand management company Foundation Media Partners, who is behind Build-A-Bear’s intrepid entertainment expansion, today announced that they are representing Varsity Spirit (a division of Varsity Brands) across multiple entertainment categories.

Varsity Spirit is a global leader in cheerleading, dance team & band apparel, camps & competitions, and yearbook. This partnership will see Foundation Media broaden the reach of the powerful Varsity Spirit brand through film, TV, music, live events, publishing, podcasts, documentaries, and hybrid content. Foundation will lead development, packaging, and production across new Varsity Spirit entertainment verticals. Initial projects coming to life through the partnership include a dramatic feature film, documentary and animation film.

Foundation Media Partners Founder and CEO Patrick Hughes said, “Working with Varsity Spirit is a dream come true. Varsity Spirit President Bill Seely and EVP Nicole Lauchaire have created a path forward for the company through entertainment ventures that lends itself perfectly to extending and enhancing the Varsity Spirit customer experience. We have a shared vision that includes feature films, tv series, docu-series and much more in the Varsity Spirit universe as well as some big surprises in music.”

“At Varsity Spirit, our mission revolves around promoting spirit and instilling important values such as teamwork, dedication, and inclusivity in a way that resonates with today’s youth. We are excited to partner with Foundation as we embark on a journey to demonstrate how the power of spirit can transform communities,” stated Bill Seely. “This collaboration presents an opportunity for Varsity Spirit to showcase cheerleading, dance, band, and yearbook activities by introducing an innovative brand extension that not only offers new entertainment options for our customers but also opens new avenues to educate audiences about the profound impact of spirit.”

The feature film, created in the vein of “Rudy,” is a sports drama written by Peter Iliff (“Point Break,” Varsity Blues,” “Patriot Games”) and is targeted toward young women of this generation. Set under the lights of a major university, the film lives at the intersection of football and cheer, ushering audiences into the spirit world from a new perspective.

Amy Wilson, Foundation Media’s VP of Development and Production, added, “It’s been great working with Peter to develop a film that celebrates the inspiring women in the cheerleading world and gives young females a picture of strength and determination. We want this movie to be the one they all identify with when they look back.’”

The feature documentary, which is just getting underway, centers around Memphis-based PURE Academy, a private, non-profit school that focuses on education, growth, and first-class athletic competition. The film spotlights coach Melvin Cole as he teaches underprivileged youth not only the game of football, but also the game of life. Narrated by Bill Courtney, the subject of the Academy Award®-winning documentary “Undefeated,”’ this doc tells another incredible story of defying the odds and will feature several brand partners who will become a part of the school’s success story.

The animated feature will be starring Netflix docuseries “Cheer” breakout star Morgan Simianer.  Foundation Media and Varsity Spirit initially began working on entertainment properties together in 2023 when they teamed with Guru (“Paw Patrol”) for a new animated project titled “Spirits of Ridgeway High” featuring Simianer. Now reimagined as an animated feature, “Spirits of Ridgeway High” is a story about optimist cheerleader Melissa Mayfield (Simianer), who while on a mission to lead her last-place cheer team to victory, discovers both cheer and music have secret magical powers.

Additionally, Foundation Media is re-packaging and will re-release Varsity Spirit’s documentary “American Cheerleader,” which was developed and produced by Milojo, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelo’s production company. The film follows the journey of two high school teams vying for the coveted UCA National High School Cheerleading Championship title.

About Varsity Spirit
Memphis-based Varsity Spirit, the driving force behind cheerleading’s dynamic transformation into the high-energy, athletic activity it is today, is the leading global source for all things spirit, including cheerleading, dance team, performing arts and yearbook. A division of Varsity Brands, Varsity Spirit is a leader in uniform innovation, as well as educational camps, clinics and competitions, impacting more than a million athletes each year. Focused on safety, entertainment and traditional school leadership, Varsity Spirit’s employees have been dedicated to celebrating spirit through its brands since 1974. For more information about Varsity Spirit or Varsity Brands, please visit varsity.com or varsitybrands.com.

About Varsity Brands
Varsity Brands is the premier provider of customizable team sports, cheer, dance, band, and yearbook services, experiences, and products. The company’s mission is to elevate the student experience, positively impacting the lives of over 55 million young people nationwide. Its divisions—BSN SPORTS and Varsity Spirit—champion youth participation and celebrate their achievements, fostering passion, enthusiasm, and community engagement. The company serves elementary, middle, and high schools, colleges, universities, gyms, club select teams, and professional sports. Explore how Varsity Brands is shaping the future of youth engagement and making a difference in the lives of young people across the country at varsitybrands.com.

About Foundation Media
Foundation’s clients and executive team have produced a number of commercially successful and award-winning films for major studios and independent financiers. Foundation’s slate includes movies from some of the most prolific filmmakers in the world, cultivating some of today’s most dynamic and cutting-edge new voices.

Recent titles include THE BAD GUYS, based on the best-selling book franchise by Aaron Blabey, which was released earlier this year by Dreamworks Animation and Universal Pictures; THELMA THE UNICORN, based on another best-selling book franchise by Blabey, is currently in production with director Jared Hess (NAPOLEON DYNAMITE) for Netflix; DELIVER BY CHRISTMAS, which was Build-A-Bear Entertainment’s first film with Hallmark released in Fall of 2020; HONEY GIRLS, the first Build-A-Bear Entertainment feature film for Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, based on Build-A-Bear Workshop’s pop music trio and released in 2021; and the first Build-A-Bear animated Christmas film based on best-selling holiday plush collection GLISTEN AND THE MERRY MISSION. entertaFor more information, please visit https://www.foundationmgmt.com/