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More rumors about the All Level International Championship are surfacing. It looks like there will be a press release around May 1st with all the details, including the qualifying event, but at least one of the participating event producers has already sent an email out. Registration fees will be $50 for teams that win qualifying events, $70 for second place, and $90 for third place. Teams that receive an at large bid will pay $125, but I haven’t heard much about how at large bids will be given.

More info will be posted as soon as possible.

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More rumors are floating around about the All Level International Championship, formerly known as the International All Level Championship. We’re hearing it will be held next Easter (2 weeks before Worlds, but the same weekend as NCA College) in 2 locations simultaneously, Atlanta and Los Angeles. The winners are supposed to be judged via internet by a panel of judges in order to declare the champion.

In short, the goal of this event is to be the Worlds for non-Worlds divisions. Varsity Brands, CheerSport, and many other appear to be involved, with the notable exception being the JAM Brands. There won’t be paid bids, but qualifiers are charged different rates depending on their success at qualifying events.

More rumors and/or details will be posted as they come in.

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It seems like the Varsity Brands’ All Level Championship is going to include non-Varsity brands. Rumors are linking CheerSport, JAMZ, Deep South, All*Star Challenge, American Spirt Championships, Spirit Cheer, and Pac West to the All Levels Championship. No word on if Jammy was invited to the party.

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Steve Peterson sent the following email to USASF Event Producers on January 31st in response to Mike Martinez’ email sent on January 30th:

IASF USASF Member Event Producers,
Following the announcement of Varsity Brands’ International All Levels Championship, the IASF USASF contacted Varsity to remind them of a recommendation approved by the IASF USASF Board of Directors in September 2006 that states:

No member of the USASF - IASF may characterize any competition they conduct, or participate in, as a “Worlds” or “World Championship”.

The IASF USASF had asked Varsity for a clarification of their press release. After a very willing and quick response, the clarification, from Mike Martinez on behalf of Varsity, was shared with the IASF USASF Board of Directors. The Board recommended the clarification be shared with all IASF USASF member event producers. Please read below.

Yesterday, during the IASF USASF Board of Directors conference call, John Newby on behalf of Varsity Brands offered to NOT include any divisions offered at the IASF USASF Worlds at their International All Levels Championship on the condition that other IASF - USASF members do likewise. Therefore, a proposal was made and approved by the Board.

APPROVED PROPOSAL:
No IASF - USASF member may conduct or participate in a multi-brand/event producer end of season
championship that includes divisions offered at the IASF - USASF Worlds.

Please feel free to call me or Jim Chadwick if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Steve Peterson
VP - USASF Events & Corporate Alliances

Mike Martinez’ email:

Dear Jim,
You have requested that I further explain the press release announcing the International All Levels Championship.

As I informed you, I headed up the marketing effort to announce the project. The announcement was formatted with the intent to fully describe to potential customers (the gyms) that this championship would be structured so that teams would qualify from events conducted by a wide array of companies across the country (similar to the method used by USASF Worlds), and that international teams could also be included. In other words, we were simply trying to describe an idea about scope and the selection process that gyms would be able to understand.

We in no way intended to confuse the market about this event being in any way connected to the Worlds. In fact, we specifically stated in the release that this event could compliment the USASF’s event, thereby specifically pointing out that this is indeed totally separate and distinct from the USASF.

Further, please note that the name “Worlds” was not, and will not, be in any way part of the title or subtitle, tagline, etc of the International All Levels Championship. Again, the headline was merely meant as a description of the type of structure to be used.

Regarding the scholarship program, as you are aware the scholarship program was very publicly proposed at the NACCC meeting (an official USASF event) in Atlanta, and our intention was to clearly state that we were supporting this proposed program to benefit the athletes who comprise the sport.

I sincerely regret if there was any misunderstanding in the situation. As always, we remain committed to the USASF, its ideals and its official World Championship.

Sincerely,
Mike Martinez, President
Athletic Championships

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Nicole Lauchaire sent the following email on January 25th:

Announcing a New “Worlds” Caliber Championship Coming in 2009…

THE INTERNATIONAL ALL LEVELS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Overwhelming interest in a “Worlds” caliber championship for All Levels has prompted a coalition of industry leading All Star competition providers to respond with The International All Levels Championship.

Scheduled for Spring 2009, highlights that make this inaugural championship unique include:

• Routines will be judged simultaneously via broadcast as teams compete from separate venues, one in Atlanta and one on the West Coast.
• Top teams will qualify at select championships run throughout the country by the industry’s most prestigious event producers, including: ACA, American Championships, American Cheer Power, Athletic Championships, NCA, Spirit Sports, UCA, USA, WSF, and other event producers still to be announced.
• Competitions for both Large and Small gyms will run separately, but simultaneously.
• Teams of All Levels from the U.S. and around the world will vie for the Championship Title in their respective divisions.
• The event will serve as a finale to the competition season and an ideal complement to the USASF Cheerleading Worlds Championship.
• A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the proposed USASF Scholarship Fund to benefit All-Star Cheer Athletes.

“Fundamentally, this championship is designed to be the ultimate competition opportunity for teams of all levels and gyms of all sizes. It truly distinguishes itself through the collective effort of participating Companies, as well as their genuine desire to give something back to the cheerleading industry via the scholarship program,” said Regina Symons, President of American Cheer Power.

James Speed of Spirit Sports adds, “We welcome and look forward to other leading event producers joining us, the Varsity Brands, in this venture soon.”

Additional details will be announced soon.

THE INTERNATIONAL ALL LEVELS CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Greatest Competition on Earth

Plans for the International All Levels Championship are coming along well. We are just about finished with confirming dates and locations (will let you know as soon as these are firm), and considerable preliminary work done has been done on qualification standards, pricing, etc. However, we want to have input on these topics from all of the competition organizers who will be participating in this event.

Therefore, I would like to invite you to attend a one day meeting in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday, March 18. The location will be the DFW Grand Hyatt, which is located right in the airport. We plan to begin the meeting at 11:00 a.m. (CST) and anticipate wrapping up by 4:00 or so that afternoon. Lunch will obviously be served during the meeting.

I appreciate very much your interest in being part of this project, which will provide all star teams of all levels from across the country a new, challenging and exciting year end event.

Please let me know if you can be at the meeting on the 18th. We sincerely want your input and hope that you will be able to participate.

Best regards,
Jeff

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