Queue up “Thunder” by ACDC and start stretching those hamstrings. The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders are sashaying straight back onto our screens in the second instalment of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and it promises to be seven episodes of deep spray tans, gravity-defying kicks and questionable discussions around women’s bodies. It’s all very glamorous though.
As glitzy and deeply American as it is, being a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader is hardly all fringed boots and impossibly tiny shorts. In season one, viewers were taken inside the rigorous audition process and gruelling training regime the cheerleaders undergo. Plenty of revelations came to light: the pressure to perform, the scrutiny the cheerleaders experience when it comes to their looks and the occasional harassment the women experience at the hands of fans. One thing that seemed to loom largest though was how little the cheerleaders were paid, especially in comparison to their Dallas Cowboy counterparts. The pay was so meagre that the women often worked day jobs before training at night to supplement their income, though apparently the tides have turned this season.
Increasing scrutiny and mounting pressure to up the DCC’s pay packets has apparently paid off. Here, everything we know about the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders’ pay rise.
How Much Are The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Actually Paid?
The pay for individual cheerleaders is likely to vary based on experience and the length of time they’ve been with the club, so exact amounts are unknown, but in 2022 NBC Sports Boston reported that the average amount an NFL cheerleader is paid is around $150-$200 USD per game. As the country’s most renowned NFL cheer squad, the DCC cheerleaders are presumed to make a little more (around $500 USD per game) and can earn an extra $50-$75 USD for public appearances. This amount doesn’t factor in (or compensate for) the hours the cheerleaders spend training though, which can often add up to almost full time hours.
Did The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders Get A Pay Rise?
After season one of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders aired, there was increasing speculation around the cheerleaders’ salaries. In 2018, a former cheerleader sued the Dallas Cowboys for unfair pay — she was reportedly paid $7 USD per hour and $200 USD per game, which worked out to be less than Rowdy, the team mascot — with the case being settled out of court. Apparently over the years since there have been numerous pushes for a pay increase by the cheerleaders, though with little outcome.
Turns out, all you need to convince your boss you deserve a pay rise is to put them on notice on the world stage. After the popularity of season one broadcast the underwhelming pay packet the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders received, pressure for a pay rise mounted and in season two, it’s been revealed that the cheerleaders will receive a 400 per cent pay increase ahead of the 2025 season.
Where Can I Watch Season 2 Of 'America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders'?
You can stream all of seasons one and two of America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders on Netflix. Blowouts to watch are mandatory.
