Dallas Cheerleaders Get Paid Four Times More

Netflix’s show “America’s Sweethearts,” which is written by Greg Whiteley, is about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. In the show, it is revealed that the cheerleaders will be paid four times more than they originally were, giving them more financial security. However, the show’s announcement failed to provide how much the cheerleaders were making previously or how much they were getting paid now.

Jada McLean, former cheerleader for the team, said in an interview with the New York Times that it was a “drastic change” since cheerleading is generally a low-wage profession. Needless to say, the raise is unexpected, especially considering management’s lack of enthusiasm for raising the pay.

The raise caps a seven-year effort to increase the pay, starting in 2018 when Erica Wilkins, a cheerleader for the team, sued the team for low pay. She claimed that she was being paid $7 per hour with no overtime pay and $200 per game. She made less than the team mascot did, yearly. Her case settled out of court in 2019, and since then, the cheerleaders’ hourly pay has remained low.

In the first season of “America’s Sweetheart”, the cheerleaders’ financial struggles were shown. Most of the team worked full-time jobs outside of their cheerleading, a fact that surprised even Greg Whiteley, the director and producer of the show. “Like a lot of people, I assumed it was a full-time job,” Mr. Whiteley said. “I would have thought, ‘Oh my gosh, you’re a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, you must make six figures and live in a great house.”

In the second season of the show, the struggle for higher pay was showcased. One example of this would be in one episode where Ms. McLead and a few other veteran cheerleaders discussed demanding higher pay before signing their contracts for the next season. However, when met with these demands, the management told them, “This is just not the time for that.” Later, the cheerleaders were seen discussing a walkout.

Not only are cheerleaders expected to work hard and perfect their routines, but they also feel pressured to maintain their physical appearance, such is the norm for cheerleaders, while also working for low pay. “We are more than just cheerleaders,” Ms. McLean said. “We’re talented, strong, educated women, and we’re hard-working athletes who deserve to be seen as such.”

Being a cheerleader takes just as much of a toll on someone as any other job, and cheerleaders deserve to be treated like so.