The second season of ‘America’s Sweethearts’ has been released on Netflix, with the streamer once again providing a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders.
But for all of the recognition that being a Cowboys cheerleader brings, members of the NFL squad’s famed cheerleading are not exactly rich.
While it’s understood that not all Dallas cheerleaders make the same salary, one ex-Cowboys cheerleader who exclusively spoke to the Daily Mail said she made between $15,000 and $22,000 per year while part of the DCC.
Cheerleaders can also add to their pay by doing special appearances, with those rates understood to be based on tenure.
Other reports, such as one from NBC Sports Boston in 2022, said that Cowboys cheerleaders earn between $15-20 per hour or $500 per game – which the publication calculated out to a healthier $75,000 yearly salary.
An ESPN report from 2017 added that the average leaguewide game-rate for cheerleaders was between $75 and $150.
Most DCC members earn about the same amount as a full-time Chick-Fil-A employee
‘America’s Sweethearts’ details the grueling commitment of being a Cowboys cheerleader
Thus, while there may be a large range in the pay of Cowboys cheerleaders, they generally make more than their counterparts around the NFL.
The issue of cheerleaders’ pay has come to the forefront in recent years, with a former DCC actually filing a lawsuit in 2017.
As a result of that litigation, pay for Cowboys cheerleaders was increased from $8 an hour to $12, with their game-day fee was doubled from $200 to $400.
Still, the franchise’s chief brand officer (and daughter of owner Jerry Jones) Charlotte Jones has previously admitted cheerleaders are underpaid.
‘There ‘s a lot of cynicism around pay for NFL cheerleaders — as it should be. They’re not paid a lot,’ she said in the first season of the documentary, which shows the dedication it takes to be a Cowboys cheerleader.
‘But the facts are, they actually don’t come here for the money. They come here for something that’s actually bigger than that to them.
‘They have a passion for dance. There are not a lot of opportunities in the field of dance to get to perform at an elite level. It is about being a part of something bigger than themselves,’ Jones continued.
Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are also expected to adhere to strict beauty standards
‘It is about a sisterhood that they are able to form, about relationships that they have for the rest of their life. They have a chance to feel like they are valued, they are special, and they are making a difference. When the women come here, they find their passion and they find their purpose.’
As seen in ‘America’s Sweethearts’, many of the team’s members have to hold second jobs to pursue their goals in dance, and spend 30 to 40 hours of their week practicing.
There are also strict rules that cheerleaders have to follow when it comes to their appearance, including how their hair and makeup is done.
Ultimately, however, there are positives to being a Cowboys cheerleader as well.
As the former cheerleader told the Daily Mail: ‘You get hooked on the sisterhood of it all.’
