Cheerleaders have been a fixture in the NFL for more than 60 years, since the 1954 season when the Baltimore Colts first brought cheerleaders to games. Since then, the practice of cheerleading on game days has evolved into an integral part of his NFL, cheerleading has become an important part of marketing and merchandising, and many cheerleaders have joined the United States through the Organization of America. He regularly performs overseas for military personnel.
What happened to today's cheerleaders?
Despite the prominence of cheerleading in the NFL, there has traditionally been a wide disparity in pay. According to figures compiled by sports keedaJunior cheerleaders earn less annually ($20,000) than matchday mascots ($25,000) and considerably less than NFL water boys ($53,000). The standard salary for cheerleaders is $150 per home game and about $50 to $75 for public appearances representing the team, such as school visits, conferences, and corporate events.
Some cheerleaders are professionals and statistics show they can earn up to $75,000 a year. various reportsHowever, the majority are not and are either attending university or have just graduated. Although many remain in the NFL for only a few years, players who earn higher salaries typically have years of experience in senior positions on cheerleading teams and have even represented multiple different teams. Generally, senior cheerleaders are paid more on game day than rookies and can earn more bonuses.
Today, cheerleading is still a popular part of the sport, but it would be disingenuous to say that cheerleading doesn't have its detractors. Let's think about it for a moment. As of 2021, there were still seven of his 32 teams in the league that did not field a cheerleading team. Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh Steelers.
Why do NFL cheerleaders earn so little?
Strictly speaking, the reason for this is that cheerleaders in the NFL, and by extension the NBA, are independent contractors. This means teams do not necessarily have to pay cheerleader salaries in line with state and federal minimum wages. As a result, NFL cheerleaders, who at one point earned as little as $5 an hour, have been fighting for decades. In 2021, a series of lawsuits filed by these cheerleaders accused 10 of the NFL's 26 teams of wage theft, unsafe working conditions, sexual harassment, and discrimination.
The lawsuit included teams such as the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Tampa Bay cheerleaders' lawsuit was settled for a reported $825,000, and the Cincinnati cheerleaders' lawsuit was settled for a reported $255,000, according to the Professional Institute. Since then, there has been a national debate about the exploitation of women in sports, and cheerleaders are now respected and paid a little more, but still not as much as they should be.
So, do any cheerleaders get paid well?
Yes, some people do. To put things into perspective, the highest paid cheerleaders typically earn around $500 per game. As you can probably imagine, the people making that kind of cash are usually members of organizations such as: The league's most popular cheerleading teams, such as the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys cheerleaders, known as “America's Sweethearts,” are among the most popular cheerleaders not only in the NFL, but in sports across the United States. For that, most of them earn $15 to $20 an hour, or $500 per match. That means your annual salary is approximately $75,000.
