If You Can Watch All 7 Episodes of Netflix's Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Documentary Without Shedding a Tear You Don't Have a Soul
(Spoilers in this blog)
I was in the throws of an, 'AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders' binge on Saturday afternoon before I was rudely interrupted by an assassination attempt. The assassination attempt threw me for a loop a bit. But up until that point, I was completely and emotionally invested in the lives of these young women in a fight for their lives to make the final 36 girl roster for the 2023 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (or DCC as those of us in the know like to call it)
My main takeaway/biggest question, which wasn't addressed nearly enough in my opinion, is how much the girls are paid. I'm dying to get a clear answer on that. According to a report by NBC Sports Boston in 2022, they're paid, $15-20 per hour, which, with game and public appearance fees, totaled to about $75,000 as a yearly income (game appearances are $500, and public appearance rates vary). But those numbers don't really add up. Especially considering they don't work year round. So are they saying if they worked full-time they would be making $75k? Or are they making a majority of their money from public appearance fees? Plus, 2018 there was a lawsuit filed by a former cheerleader that claimed she was making significantly less than that.
Today - In 2018, former Cowboys cheerleader Erica Wilkins, who danced from 2014 to 2017, sued the organization for allegedly working over 40 hour weeks, making less than $7.25 per hour. The lawsuit, obtained by TODAY.com, also alleged that the team's mascot made more than the cheerleaders.
At the time, Wilkins claimed in the lawsuit that she was making $200 per game. During her time on the team, Wilkins also claimed that her gross wages ranged from about $5,800 to $16,500 annually.
So I'm not entirely sure. They definitely make more money cheerleading than the rest of the NFL. They also make less than mascots and hot dog vendors. Pretty much every girl has a second job. Many of them have legitimate full time careers. But that's aside the point. These girls so desperately want to be a part of the team that I'm pretty sure the Dallas Cowboys could pay nothing and still field the best squad in the NFL. They could probably charge the girls money if they wanted to and they'd still want it just as bad.
I promise you I'm not a big crier. I'm not a small crier. I'd say I'm an average crier when it comes to movies and TV shows. Maybe once or twice a year something will catch me in the right way and I'll shed a tear. Usually it's animal related. And I certainly was not expecting this year's moment to come while watching a group of low to mid 20's bombshells fight for the opportunity to be paid a non-living wage by multi-billionaire Jerry Jones. A job where half the girls end up getting major surgeries when they're done because their bodies are in shambles after 5 years of jump splits.
But it doesn't matter who the people are, or what they're setting out to achieve, when you watch anybody compete for something that they so desperately want. Something that's literally been their dream since they were children. Something they've worked their entire lives for. Then come so fucking close only to be cut at the last minute. Then watch the realization that they will in fact NOT be achieving their dreams wash over their faces as they try to hold back their tears before calling their moms and bursting into tears as they inform her that they'll be on the next flight home to Weehawken… that's tough to watch.
And the shit they put these girls through leading up to them getting cut is almost sadistic. After the original auditions, they bring something like 45 girls to training camp. Then during training camp they need to get that number down to 36. The fucked up part is the farther they get into camp, the more they (for lack of a better word) "edge" these girls. For example, when it gets down to like 40, they fit them for uniforms. They bring these girls in one by one, present them with their uniform, take all the measurement to make sure it's exactly right, harshly analyze every little thing about their bodies. Because they gotta make sure the girls look properly hot enough in the DCC uniform before they can know if they're cut out for the squad. One girl who they ended up cutting, just a couple days before she was cut had her die her hair from blonde to brunette. I mean to get to the point where you have your uniform, you got your boots, you know the dances inside and out, they're making physical changes to your body so that you're exactly what they want you to be… so close you can taste it… and then get told, "Actually you kicks weren't high enough, you gotta leave."
It's a very well-done documentary overall. Much more so than the old Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders 'Making The Team' seasons were in my opinion. It got me good. I don't know how you can watch that documentary and not get at least a little emotional. It's like watching a player get cut in Hard Knocks except it's hot girls and there's way more tears.
Also, shoutout to this legend who somehow convinced a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader to marry him.