A big step up for Cowboys cheerleaders!
In the latest episode of Netflix’s docuseries, America’s Sweethearts, the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders revealed that they are going to receive a massive 400% pay rise. The docuseries, now in season 2, aired its most recent episode on June 18, and since then, cheerleaders lobbying for increased pay has been one of the more discussed topics in the NFL offseason.
The news of the 400% hike is met with gratitude, but it is not something that has come out of the blue. In fact, cheerleaders have been pursuing this avenue for many years. Back in 2019, the Cowboys’ cheerleader squad’s pay was increased from $200 to $400 per game following a lawsuit with one of their former cheerleaders. Now, however, the amount has become nearly four times.
One of the senior members of the Cowboys squad, Megan McElaney, expressed her happiness over the outcome by saying that their efforts have finally been heard and that this money is life-changing.
“Our efforts were heard and they wanted to give us a raise. And we ended up getting a 400% increase, which is like, life-changing.”
Another member of the squad, Jada McLean, also expressed her feelings, which were more of a relief than happiness.
“Happy’ isn’t even the right word for it, I think I was just … kind of felt, like, a relief, like everything had paid off. And it was, you know, finally, we were done fighting.”
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As per NBC Sports Boston, NFL cheerleaders, in 2022, made an average of $150 per game, which amounted to approximately $22,500 annually. However, with public appearances, they can increase their pay by $50 to $75 each time they attend.
In comparison, NFL mascots make approximately $25,000 annually, but that is the general average, with more experienced mascots making much higher salaries.
Even though cheerleaders have tried to get their pay increased, the disparity in the league is quite evident, considering the huge amount of money all players and coaches are making.
According to NBC Sports Boston, the Dallas Cowboys’ cheerleaders were making around $15 per hour, or approximately $500 per game, which amounted to nearly $75,000 annually. That is more than triple the amount the average cheerleader on other teams is making.
Now, with the latest 400% hike in their pay, some of the Cowboys’ cheerleaders who fought for the pay increase could earn approximately $75 per hour, which is a monumental increase.
Considering the fact that Forbes has estimated the value of the franchise at more than $10 billion, these negotiations would not have made even a small dent in the organization’s deep pockets, but at the same time, it would surely change the lives of these cheerleaders.
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