Major Pay Boost Announced for Famed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
The Dallas Cowboys cheerleading squad, often dubbed “America’s Sweethearts,” is set to receive a significant increase in compensation. Members of the iconic team have confirmed they are getting a 400% pay raise.
The news of the substantial boost was revealed by one of the cheerleaders during the second season of the popular Netflix docuseries, “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders.” This pay increase marks a pivotal moment following years of advocacy by the cheerleaders for better wages.
Four-year veteran cheerleader Megan McElaney shared her excitement on the show, stating, “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.”
A History of Pushing for Fairer Compensation
This latest raise builds upon previous gains made by the cheerleaders. In 2019, the Cowboys organization settled a lawsuit brought by a former cheerleader that resulted in the squad’s per-game pay being doubled from $200 to $400.
The newly announced 400% increase represents a substantial jump from that previous rate, reflecting a significant win for the current and future members of the squad.
Former cheerleader Jada McLean also expressed relief and satisfaction on the Netflix series. “Happy isn’t even the right word for it,” McLean said. “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.”
The Dallas Cowboys are known globally as one of the most valuable sports franchises. According to Forbes magazine, the team has held the title of the world’s most valuable professional sports team for nearly a decade, with a valuation reaching $10.1 billion in rankings published late last year. This immense value provides context for the long-standing calls for improved compensation for its highly visible cheerleading squad.
In related but separate news from recent years, ESPN reported in 2022 that the Cowboys had agreed to pay four cheerleaders a total of $2.4 million nine years prior to settle claims alleging the team’s longtime public relations chief, Rich Dalrymple, filmed them in the dressing room. Dalrymple denied the claims, and the team stated its investigation found no wrongdoing by him. He retired shortly before the settlement became public. While this historical matter involved payouts, the recently announced 400% increase directly addresses the cheerleaders’ ongoing base compensation.
