The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are easily the most well-known brand across the National Football League.
No other cheerleading team has a running show on Netflix like “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders”. A notable part of the show, which focuses on the lives of the cheerleaders, was their fight for higher pay after the show initially revealed they were being paid around minimum wage.
In season 2, some of the group’s veterans came together to discuss their new contracts for the 2024-25 football year. The result was an alleged 400% pay raise for the 2025–2026 season.
“We pushed and we got back good results,” fifth-year veteran Armani Latimer said. “I get emotional knowing that I was a part of that. I love the fact that I made change for the girls that are coming up behind me, even if I’m not getting a chance to benefit.”
Now they’ve taken business to the next level.
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Cowboys cheerleader unionize, start collective bargaining agreements
On Friday afternoon the Cowboys and the team’s cheerleaders announced their plans to unionize.
“After meaningful discussion between the Cowboys organization and the newly formed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association (DCCA) regarding their request for recognition, the Cowboys and DCCA are pleased to announce the Cowboys organization has agreed to recognize the DCCA as the collective bargaining representative for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders,” a statement read.
NEWS: the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders have unionized and the Cowboys have agreed to recognize the union pic.twitter.com/Lbv8aVaV6g
— jen ramos-eisen (@jenramose) October 23, 2026
According to People, the Cowboys cheerleaders currently make $75 per hour and have a per-game fee around $2,500.
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