400% Overdue: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and America’s Pay Gap

Without context, a 400% pay raise seems staggering. Yet, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ recent wage increase was long overdue. Despite being an integral part of the most valuable franchise in sports, the cheerleaders behind America’s $10.1 billion team were unable to make livable wages. While it’s challenging to put a price on the value of a brand, it’s surely more than $15 an hour.  

PAY CONCERNS  

Wage concerns for female professionals across industries are anything but a new phenomenon, and the NFL is no exception. Salaries for cheerleaders within the NFL have been historically low, with the prestige, exclusivity, and privilege associated with the role serving as a patronizing means of justification. The Cowboys organization has historically described the cheerleaders’ job as a “volunteer role,” rhetoric that has kept formal pay negotiations at bay. 

The Cowboys Cheerleaders dedicate anywhere between 30-40 hours of physically demanding work per week on training and games, alongside additional hours fulfilling outside appearances and events. Typical weekday rehearsals last 2-3 hours each, with game days ranging from 10-12 hours in addition to travel and preparation.  

 Before Dallas’s 2025 negotiations, earnings sat at $8-15 per hour for rehearsals and standard work with no health insurance or benefits, while many other NFL teams’ salaries fell below minimum wage. For the required off-season training camp, which involves similar commitments, pay sat around $12 an hour. Game days paid $200 for the full day, and outside appearances granted cheerleaders a “flat fee,” calculated as $100 times their years of experience, regardless of the hours or travel requirements for the event. 

While Dallas’s Dak Prescott earns a $60 million annual salary, cheerleaders in Dallas tend to work one or two additional part- and full-time jobs to cover living expenses. Kleine Powell, a 4-year veteran cheerleader in Dallas, works four jobs during the season. Even excluding the NFL’s highest-paid superstars, the league’s sideline male employees average significantly higher pay for roles that lack skillsets and athletic demands. For instance, the average team waterboy makes around $53,000 annually, while mascots take home around $25,000. Comparing each to the cheerleaders’ average annual earnings of $22,500, it’s obvious that wage discrimination continues to maintain its stronghold within the sports industry, no matter the scope or seemingly public scale of the organization.  

REVENUE 

Given the resources within “America’s team,” the cheerleaders’ earnings are certainly perplexing. Not only are they the most lucrative team in the NFL, but the Cowboys reign supreme as the most valuable sports franchise in the world. Using their combination of high-profile players, world-class facilities, and distinguished legacy, the Cowboys are one of only two sports teams to bring in over $1 billion in annual revenue. A testament to marketing and branding, they continuously maintain their financial and cultural success regardless of the team’s on-field performance.  

The most prominent counter against the cheerleader pay raise revolves around revenue;  although true that the cheerleaders aren’t the most lucrative branch of the Cowboys empire, they still create immense value for the team. Their role in the organization’s marketing strategy is undeniable. Coined “America’s Sweethearts,” they continue to play a crucial role in the Cowboys’ iconic brand image since they gained popularity in the mid-70s. 

From charity appearances and global tours to their recent Netflix special, Dallas’s cheerleaders have expanded the Cowboys’ reach and recognition well beyond the football field— making their former compensation agreements indefensible.  

BUSINESS STRUCTURE  

The cheerleaders’ profound impact on the team’s positive PR and worldwide popularity undoubtedly offers the most significant value to the team, but there are countless other quantifiable ways in which the Cowboys benefit directly from their image and likeness.  

The organization employs a strategic approach to business, making it entirely reasonable for the team to provide royalties or compensation agreements with the cheerleaders. Unlike each of the other NFL teams, the Cowboys independently license Cowboys-branded product lines, controlling both their manufacturing and distribution. Thus, rather than sharing profits with the NFL, which jointly licenses other teams’ products, the Cowboys receive full revenue from their products and partnerships. This structure provides a realistic and simple way to increase cheerleader income, even through a modest agreement. 

Appearances like corporate events and junior cheer camps, as well as products like clothing lines, Barbie dolls, and the iconic annual calendars, are all avenues of profit for the franchise. However, even after their recent legal victory, the cheerleaders do not receive compensation from any merchandise, products, or partnerships beyond their hourly pay or appearance fees— even when those products feature their image.  

RECENT LEGAL BATTLE  

The discussion of cheerleader pay in Dallas first gained traction in 2018, when a class action suit was filed by a former cheerleader for violating the Fair Labor Standards and Equal Pay acts, which serve to outline minimum and overtime wages while also protecting workers from wage discrimination based on sex. According to the former cheerleader, the Cowboys organization continuously failed to pay the Texas minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. In addition, they kept inaccurate records of working hours, resulting in continuous failure to pay cheerleaders appropriately for overtime wages, work-related events, team meetings, training, and filming. Even further, the case revealed that the Cowboys’ male mascot was earning around $65,000 per year— several times greater than the cheerleaders’ range of $6,000-$17,000. The 2018 suit resulted in a private settlement in favor of the cheerleader and a conservative pay increase for the team, but the most valuable result was the newfound air of opportunity in the cheerleaders’ fight towards fair pay.  

By leveraging momentum, press, and public opinion, as well as the popularity of Netflix’s special, “America’s Sweethearts,” the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders recently came to a major agreement with the franchise, negotiating their way to a 400% pay increase. Although specific figures remain undisclosed, estimates assume members will earn at least $75 an hour and $75,000 in annual pay, in addition to higher earnings for public appearances and more opportunities for veterans.  

CONCLUSION 

With over $10 billion and only 36 cheerleaders, the costs of underpaying Dallas’s cheerleaders truly outweigh the benefits. With public opinion on their side, paying the cheerleaders reasonably is the only way for the franchise to avoid inevitable criticism and public scrutiny. Luckily, the recent changes suggest the Cowboys recognize that the brand they’ve spent decades cultivating is the ultimate driver of their value, relevance, and identity. Most importantly, without the cherished piece that is America’s Sweethearts, the integrity of that brand becomes jeopardized.  

SOURCES 

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“Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Pay Raise.” USA Today, 24 June 2025, usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2025/06/24/dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders-pay-raise/84330932007/. Accessed 24 July 2025. 

“Cowboys Become First Pro Sports Team Valued over $10 Billion.” Fox Sports, 8 Oct. 2024, foxsports.com/stories/nfl/cowboys-become-first-pro-sports-team-valued-over-10-billion. Accessed 24 July 2025. 

“Showing You the Money.” Forbes, 15 Sept. 2003, forbes.com/forbes/2003/0915/084.html. Accessed 24 July 2025. 

Waxman, Olivia B. “How the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Got a 400% Pay Raise.” Time, 18 June 2025, time.com/7295238/dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders-pay-raise/. Accessed 24 July 2025.