Dallas cheerleaders won a life-changing 400% pay raise after years of fighting the NFL’s richest franchise.
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Now the real win
Hey brother, listen up! The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders have won big this time, not on the field, but in their bank accounts.
The second season of “America’s Sweethearts” has revealed a big secret – these women have finally received a 400% pay hike after years of struggle.
“Happy is an understatement,” said former team member Jada McLean.
“It felt like a burden was lifted, our hard work paid off and the fight was finally over.”
The story behind the shiny pom-poms
Man, for so many years, these girls had to handle multiple jobs at once.
This tough schedule of practices, games, and other events and on top of that, money was tight.
Behind their bright smiles was a bitter truth – cheerleading alone was not enough to make ends meet.
Times have changed
Fourth-year veteran Megan McElhenney put it plainly: “Our voices were heard. We got a 400% pay increase, which is literally life-changing.”
Just think – the women representing America’s most valuable NFL franchise (worth $10.1 billion) couldn’t survive on their cheerleading earnings until now!
Justice after a long wait
This wasn’t an overnight victory. In 2018, former cheerleader Erika Wilkins revealed she was paid just $7 an hour, no overtime pay and just $200 per game.
A 2019 settlement increased game pay to $400 – still nothing compared to the franchise’s wealth.
It’s not just about money
Money has also changed, and so has the culture. Body image standards since the team’s inception in 1961.
“Each cheerleader gets a custom-tailored uniform,” explained senior director Kelly Finglass. “We don’t talk about weight, other than making the uniform look good.”
The show continues
The Netflix series follows these women’s grueling tryouts and intense game preparations, now with a refreshing twist — they’re finally getting paid for their work, not just their looks.
Want to see them win? “America’s Sweethearts: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders” is now available to stream.