Mardi Gras Grand Nationals will be back at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans in 2025, and All Star cheer teams will get to showcase their skills Jan. 17-19.

Varsity TV will be on-site to provide live coverage of the action on Saturday and Sunday.

Mardi Gras Spirit events give competitors another fun theme to enjoy while competing for unique awards, beads, bragging rights, bids, and more. The Mardi Gras atmosphere means one big party, complete with costumes, custom plaques, champion banners, and special gifts.

Enjoy live coverage of the event, as standout teams from Division I and Division II go head-to-head with their sights set on obtaining points to The Varsity Cheer League by Varsity All Star and a bid to one of the prestigious end-of-season championships!

• Who: All Star Cheer Teams
• When: Jan. 17-19, 2025 
• Where: New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans
• Watch: LIVE on Varsity TV
• Rebroadcast: Watch HERE
• The League by Varsity All Star: 600 Points Up For Grabs

What To Know About The New Orleans Morial Convention Center

Mardi Gras Grand Nationals heads back to the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in 2025 and again will serve as a precursor to the Mardi Gras celebration that will take over New Orleans in early March.

The convention center itself is an award-winning facility, having recently earned a third consecutive Convention South Readers’ Choice Award. An ongoing capital-improvement project is keeping the venue on the cutting edge of technology and innovation. 

Check out this photo gallery, featuring a look at what the convention center and surrounding space have to offer.

A highly celebrated piece of the property is the Louisiana Civil Rights Museum, which gives visitors a look into the state’s role in the Civil Rights Movement. 

For the history buffs headed to Mardi Gras Grand Nationals, there are another half-dozen museums nearby that showcase the long history and diverse culture of Louisiana and New Orleans.

Click HERE for directions, a map, and parking information.

Things To Do In New Orleans

Click HERE to learn more about New Orleans and how to stay busy when there’s no cheerleading to be done.

New Orleans is a cultural melting pot famous for jazz and blues music and delicious food. There are professional and top-tier sports, art, theater, museums, waterfront activities, and, of course, the annual Mardi Gras celebration.

For a look at all the things to do, from tours to attractions to music and cultural events to learning about the history of the famous French Quarter, check out NewOrleans.com.

Want some of the area’s best Cajun or Creole cooking? A ‘po-boy sandwich? The best beignets in the world? Some amazing seafood? Check out this list of traditional foods to try while in The Big Easy.

Need a car to get around New Orleans? Visit Avis!

How To Watch 2025 Mardi Gras Grand Nationals 

The 2025 Mardi Gras Grand Nationals will stream LIVE on Varsity TV.

The rebroadcast will stream on Varsity TV on a delay of 24 hours.

If you plan to be in New Orleans and want to see the event in person, purchase tickets now.

The 2025 Mardi Gras Grand Nationals Results

Results for the 2025 Mardi Gras Grand Nationals can be found here.

The 2025 Mardi Gras Grand Nationals Schedule

The schedule for the 2025 Mardi Gras Grand Nationals can be found here.

Tentative block schedule

Bids Up For Grabs At The 2025 Mardi Gras Grand Nationals

• 2 Paid Bids to The Cheerleading Worlds
• 4 At-Large Bids to The Cheerleading Worlds
• 3 Paid Bids to The Summit 
• 4 IASF At-Large Bids to The Summit
• 7 At-Large Bids to The Summit 
• 3 Paid Bids to The D2 Summit
• 7 At-Large Bids to The D2 Summit 
• 1 Paid Bid to The Youth Summit
• 4 At-Large Bids to The Youth Summit 
• 2 Paid Bids to The Regional Summit (one Division I, one Division II)
• Top 3 teams in eligible divisions will earn an At-Large Bid to The Regional Summit
• 5 At-Large Bids to The Recreational Summit
• 1 Gold Bid to The Quest
• Top 3 teams in bid-eligible divisions will earn a Qualifier Bid to The Quest
• Golden Tickets to The U.S. Finals

The League by Varsity All Star

The League by Varsity All Star is the official ranking system for the sport of All Star cheerleading, changing the conversation from “Who won the weekend?” to “Who ranks at the top this season?”

Every team that competes at a Varsity All Star event this season will be included in The Varsity Cheer League.

Team rankings are determined by the points system displayed here. At each Varsity All Star event your team competes, your team will earn points based on the assigned event and placement point value.

At the end of the season, your six best Varsity All Star event scores will be used to calculate your final rank.

In total, 128 winners will be recognized from first to third place across each region. 

One champion will be crowned in each of the five regions across the eight eligible divisions and two League 6 conferences, meaning 42 championships will be awarded in total. Champions will win cash and prizes!

Click here to learn more about The League

600 Points Up For Grabs At The 2025 Mardi Gras Grand Nationals

Click here to view the full points system/breakdown.

Tune in to Varsity TV on Jan. 18-19 to watch all the action live from the 2025 Mardi Gras Grand Nationals in New Orleans!

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