Overview
- The Dallas Cowboys said they will recognize the newly formed Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association as the collective bargaining representative for the team’s cheerleaders, creating a formal negotiating partner for pay and workplace rules.
- Public reporting ties recent contract changes to large pay gains, including an alleged 400% increase for the 2025–26 season and current figures cited at about $75 per hour with roughly $2,500 in per-game fees.
- The DCCA was created by veteran members who pressed the organization for better terms and sought official recognition through talks described by the team as meaningful discussion.
- Netflix’s series America’s Sweethearts brought wide public attention to cheerleaders’ low historical pay and documented veterans such as Armani Latimer saying their organizing produced improved contracts.
- The recognition could reshape how NFL teams contract with high-profile cheer squads by normalizing collective bargaining and may lead to changes in pay, benefits, and commercial licensing for the cheerleaders.