Check out what’s clicking on FoxBusiness.com.
The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are finally getting a significant bump in pay after years of lobbying.
Four-year veteran Megan McElaney revealed in the second season of the Netflix series “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders,” which began streaming on Wednesday, that the squad members are getting a 400% increase in pay.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders perform “Thunderstruck” during their final tour stop at the Abraham Chavez Theatre in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday, May 31, 2025. (IMAGN / IMAGN)
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXBUSINESS.COM
“Our efforts were heard, and they wanted to give us a raise,” McElaney said in episode 7. “And we ended up getting a 400% increase, which is, like, life-changing.”
Former cheerleader Jada McLean told the New York Times that 2024 marked her fifth year with the team, and during that time, she made $15 an hour and $500 for each appearance. Those numbers, according to the report, vary based on experience.
The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders’ boots on the field during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at AT&T Stadium on Aug. 26, 2023. (Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports / IMAGN)
DALLAS COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS PRESSURED TO LOOK LIKE SUPERMODELS BUT PERFORM LIKE ATHLETES: DOCUSERIES
While the new deal does not provide members with health insurance yet, McElaney told the Times that some veteran members could now be making upwards of $75.
A previous lawsuit brought on by a former NFL cheerleader led to another pay increase in 2019 that brought the appearance up from $200 to $400, CBS Sports reported.
Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders perform before the game against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 22, 2024. (Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / IMAGN)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
“We are more than just cheerleaders,” McLean added. “We’re talented, strong, educated women and we’re hard-working athletes who deserve to be seen as such.”
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
