The U.S. Finals: Virginia Beach

The U.S. Finals: Virginia Beach is one stop on The U.S. Finals, Varsity Spirit's multi-city end-of-season championship series. Held at the oceanfront Virginia Beach Convention Center, it serves the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast as the destination where all-star, prep, rec and school-affiliated programs close out their competitive season together.

A defining feature of The U.S. Finals is that programs can bring teams of every level to the same event, so an entire gym can compete and celebrate side by side on the same weekend. Every U.S. Finals location advertises a guaranteed Division I / Division II split, which keeps larger, more resourced programs (DI) and smaller programs (DII) in separate competitive tracks.

Teams generally earn their spot at The U.S. Finals through their performances and results at qualifying events across the season, which the series markets as the 'final destination' of the year. The Virginia Beach stop is one of several regional dates that let teams choose the location closest to home.

The Virginia Beach Convention Center is a LEED Gold-certified facility with more than 250,000 square feet of flexible space, located minutes from the beach and the city's resort strip. The event streams live on Varsity TV, with tickets sold through the event's ticketing partner.

The U.S. Finals traces its origins to 2006, when it was launched by Nation's Leading Cheer Companies (NLCC), a coalition of independent event producers that included brands such as Americheer/Ameridance, American Cheer & Dance Academy, Eastern Cheer & Dance Association and Spirit Unlimited. It was conceived as a shared, cross-brand season-ending championship.

After Varsity Spirit acquired NLCC and its member brands, The U.S. Finals continued under the Varsity umbrella and expanded into a nationwide series of one- and two-day championships spread across multiple cities, which is how it operates today.

The Virginia Beach date has been a recurring stop on the modern U.S. Finals schedule, run at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, with editions documented in recent seasons (including 2024, 2025 and 2026).

Because the format is built around whole programs, spectators typically see a very wide range of ages and levels across the day, from young rec and prep athletes up through elite senior all-star teams. The guaranteed DI/DII split means teams are compared against similarly resourced programs.

The competition is a standard performance-based all-star cheer and dance format: teams take the mat for a 2-3 minute routine judged on skills, execution and overall performance, with awards presentations grouped by division and level. The U.S. Finals is positioned as a celebratory, season-capping event rather than a bid-qualifier.

For families, the Virginia Beach setting adds a getaway element: the convention center sits close to the oceanfront, hotels and restaurants, so many programs treat the weekend as a combined competition and end-of-season trip.

The event is held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, 1000 19th Street, Virginia Beach, VA. The nearest major airport is Norfolk International Airport (ORF), roughly a 20-30 minute drive away; Newport News/Williamsburg International (PHF) and Richmond International (RIC) are additional regional options.

The convention center is in the resort/oceanfront district, within a short drive or walk of numerous hotels and the beach, which makes it convenient for teams traveling in for the weekend. Parking is available on-site; check the venue website for current lot and rate details.