theSkimm - Weekend: Hey, Nice Aura 🔮

Even if you have zero interest in football, it’s been nearly impossible to escape the discourse sparked by America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. As the name implies, the Netflix docuseries follows the 2023 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (aka the DCCs) from auditions to training camp to performing in front of more than 80,000 fans. And while the darker aspects of cheerleading have been out in the open for a while (see: lawsuits alleging wage theft, sexual harassment, and discrimination), the seven-episode series captures just how much the women go through to wear those blue-and-white uniforms. In 2024, at a franchise where quarterback Dak Prescott will enter his fourth and final year of a $160 million contract, the cheerleaders get paid so little that many work full-time jobs before practice, where they dance until well after midnight. (One alum called the salary comparable to that of “a Chick-fil-A worker who works full time.”) Not to mention, the sacrifices to their physical health (years of doing moves like jump splits can take a toll), mental health (body image issues and eating disorders are still common), and safety (see: overzealous fans and stalkers). Oh, and DCC director Kelli McGonagill Finglass and her team regularly critique their bodies, facial expressions, and makeup skills.

All of which raises even larger questions: If the DCC (essentially, the Rockettes of cheerleading) are expected to endure this type of treatment with a smile, just how bad is it for other pro cheerleaders? And if the cheerleaders are so iconic, beloved, and essential to the multi-billion dollar franchise — as the documentary shows the DCC leadership repeatedly reminding the women — why are they not compensated appropriately? According to Charlotte Jones, the Cowboys chief brand officer and daughter of owner Jerry Jones, the cheerleaders don’t work for the money, but “for something that’s actually bigger than that,” including “a passion for dance,” “sisterhood” and the chance to feel “valued” and “special.” Something tells us their bank accounts would beg to differ.