The cheerleaders have been pushing for pay increases for years.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. β A 400% pay raise for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders is making waves, and it could mean big changes for squads across the NFL.
After years of low wages and high-profile lawsuits, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders just secured a massive pay bump, revealed in the season finale of their hit Netflix series.
βOur efforts were heard and they wanted to give us a raise,β four-year veteran Megan McElaney said on the show. βAnd we ended up getting a 400% increase, which is like, life-changing.β
Veterans on the squad could now make more than $75 an hour, up from just $15 an hour last year. For perspective, the Carolina Panthers’ TopCats currently earn about $75,000 a year, one of the highest rates in the league.Β
The Cowboysβ raise comes after a surge of public support and years of pressure for fairer pay. Cheerleaders are athletes, brand ambassadors, and community faces, yet many have juggled full-time jobs just to make ends meet.
With the Cowboys setting a new standard, other teams, including the Panthers, could soon feel pressure to boost pay and benefits for their own cheerleaders.Β
The fight for fair pay isnβt over, but this raise signals a shift β one that could lift up cheerleaders across the NFL, including right here in the Queen City.
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