WARNING: This story incorporates spoilers for “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders” Season 2.

For many years, standard knowledge has dissuaded staff from discussing their salaries publicly. However on the Netflix docuseries “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders,” the star-spangled dancers’ pay turned a serious speaking level.

Whereas the cheerleaders’ salaries have by no means been totally disclosed, Season 1 of the Netflix present underscored that dancing for an expert sports activities workforce isn’t a very profitable endeavor. In truth, the function matches the outline of a “pink-collar job,” a time period coined within the Seventies for customer-facing jobs, usually held by girls, that garner decrease pay.

For the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC), the present revealed, the fact is that this: along with mastering their excessive kicks and leap splits, a lot of the squad’s cheerleaders have 9-to-5 jobs, starting from working within the company sector and the medical or legislation fields to being dance or health instructors and on-line influencers. It’s aspirational that the cheerleaders are so achieved off the sector, however the bother was that almost all of them couldn’t make ends meet with out holding down a day job or two (or typically three). That revelation despatched viewers right into a tizzy, they usually decried the cheerleaders’ low pay on-line.

However there was no decision — till Season 2.

The brand new episodes comply with as a handful of veteran cheerleaders on the 36-member squad, together with Jada McLean, Armani Latimer, Amanda Howard and Megan McElaney, confront the difficulty head-on, reaching out to the Cowboys group early within the season to barter their contracts. Regardless of setbacks — together with talks of a walkout, which stalled when management acquired wind of the strategic transfer — the cheerleaders remained steadfast of their pursuit. Within the remaining episode, it’s revealed that subsequent yr’s workforce will obtain a large pay elevate.

“We ended up getting a 400% improve, which is, like, life-changing,” McElaney says, by tears.

It’s been a young and hard expertise, McLean, a five-year veteran of the squad who retired after the 2024 season, tells Selection over a video name on Monday, after the world realized the cheerleaders’ massive information when the episodes started streaming on Netflix. (The sequence at present ranks within the prime 10 applications globally with greater than 3.3 million views in per week.)

“The conversations weren’t all the time straightforward. They have been very emotional and typically we needed to inform them data that was our actuality however wasn’t straightforward to share, so I don’t assume we knew what to anticipate coming in,” McLean says, recalling the second they discovered their efforts had been profitable.

“I ended up crying in that assembly,” the now-retired cheerleader, who is understood for her poise, continues. “As a result of it felt like there’d been a lot that went into attempting to see this modification occur, and to lastly know that it was all price it in the long run. It was a extremely transferring second for me, for the opposite leaders and the workforce. I’m simply grateful they heard us out as a result of there have been moments after we didn’t assume they have been listening to us, and we didn’t really feel like there was something we may do to make them perceive.”

Kelli Finglass and Judy Trammell, the longtime director and head choreographer of the DCC, respectively, shared their pleasure in McLean and her teammates for sticking to their weapons.

“At first, it was somewhat uncomfortable as a result of we weren’t a part of the preliminary discussions,” Finglass says, with Trammell nodding subsequent to her. “However we’re thrilled, as coaches, that the cheerleaders are very pleased with the decision, and I believe the worth of their expertise and their dedication is one thing that they may all the time be pleased with.”

Greg Whiteley, the Emmy-winning documentarian behind the present, echoed the identical reward: “I’m thrilled for all events concerned. I used to be relieved. I felt like an anxious dad or mum ready within the wings — like, ‘What’s going to occur?’ — or a wedding counselor between these two events. I’m grateful that we acquired to be round for what felt like a historic second.”

That results in an even bigger query: Would the pay scale have modified if thousands and thousands of individuals around the globe hadn’t watched “America’s Sweethearts”?

“Let me put it this manner, the timing of that is most likely not a coincidence,” Whiteley concedes. “The present perhaps performed some function.” However he’s not taking any credit score for creating the change — solely capturing it. “My course of as a documentarian, and the individuals who work with me, we present up as agnostics,” he explains. “We’re not right here to inform the Cowboys how they need to run their group. We’re not right here to inform the cheerleaders how a lot they need to be paid. We’re there simply to movie. I’ve a excessive diploma of religion that if we keep obedient to these rules, as any good documentarian ought to, one thing true emerges. And I imagine that accelerates the arc of justice or no matter.”

Whiteley provides: “All credit score has to go to the cheerleaders and the Cowboys [organization], who took a whole lot of warmth. They’re those who made this occur.”

Nevertheless, McLean believes that the cheerleaders’ visibility from the present impacted the ultimate figures.

“I believe there would have been a rise, however I don’t assume it could have been practically this massive,” she says. “I believe there could have been a number of {dollars} — as in a whole lot of workplaces, the place you get a little bit of a elevate each couple of years — however I don’t assume something to this magnitude would have occurred.”

And McLean desires to make clear the numbers, as a result of the 400% determine doesn’t current the complete image. “Your complete pay construction has modified, so it’s not simply a rise of what we had. It’s restructured the way in which we’re paid usually,” she says, explaining that the cheerleaders receives a commission totally different charges for rehearsals, video games and different particular performances or appearances.

McLean beforehand advised the New York Instances that, in 2024, she made $15 an hour and $500 per look — compensation that varies based mostly on a cheerleader’s expertise. Now, after the rise, some veteran cheerleaders will make than $75 an hour.

“For some issues, it’s truly greater than that an hour, nevertheless it relies upon,” she tells Selection. “For practices, no, you’ll not be paid $75 an hour. Nevertheless, at a recreation, you may be paid greater than that an hour. Some persons are like, ‘400% of what you’re making a yr?’ I want! However there have been will increase in sure areas of 400%.”

Learn on as McLean displays on having the landmark season captured for Netflix, why she declined to be featured on “America’s Sweethearts” Season 1 and what she hopes everybody can study from the cheerleaders’ push for higher pay.

Season 2 of “America’s Sweethearts” began streaming on Netflix final week. What has it been like for thus many individuals to look at your journey?

It’s been thrilling, however somewhat overwhelming. I’ve had so many individuals attain out to me with optimistic messages — which have touched my coronary heart and I’m attempting to maintain up with them — but additionally, it’s somewhat nerve-wracking as a result of lots of people now have their eyes on you. So, I’ve been attempting to navigate that.
My mother has been like, “Oh my gosh, have a look at your following go up.” [Laughs.] That’s what she’s actually enthusiastic about, nevertheless it’s been nice. I’m very grateful for it.

Greg Whiteley shared that you simply have been hesitant about having the cameras comply with you throughout Season 1, however modified your thoughts after watching. What made you comply with be featured in Season 2?

After we began filming Season 1, I felt as if the cameras had already been following sure folks greater than others, so when dialog occurred mid-season, I stated, “I don’t know if the world will get an entire image of my story, and that’s not one thing I’m snug with.” I really need them to see the entire image. Simply out of respect for my household and people which are closest to me.

Then, going into Season 2 and seeing how wonderful the manufacturing workforce did, when every little thing got here collectively, I used to be like, “Okay, I believe I’m snug sharing so long as I really feel like they get to see the entire image.”

Timing is every little thing. This season turned out to be momentous for you, and never simply since you have been chosen to be one of many factors of the triangle. Now that you may look again, what does it imply to have all of this captured?

There have been a whole lot of massive conversations that wanted to occur that have been captured this season, and at the moment are being shared with the world. I like that the dialog is constant to occur, particularly on the subject of pay. But it surely’s been very particular.

It’s humorous, once you’re dwelling within the second, sure, we now have cameras round, however you sort of neglect and proceed on along with your day-to-day life. It’s nearly been a yr since we began filming this season, so to look at it again and see every little thing that we’ve achieved over this yr — the conversations that we began and the motion that we’ve made — it’s actually rewarding.

Your group of veterans stated you wished to go away a legacy, and that was achieved with the pay elevate. At what level did you determine to let the cameras in on these personal conversations in regards to the negotiations?

As soon as Season 1 was launched, we had an inflow of publicity and everybody reaching out to us, and we have been like, “OK, hopefully after we see these new contracts, it’s going to mirror sort of every little thing that shifted.” Sadly, they didn’t. That’s after we got here collectively, and we simply put ourselves on the market. We simply had a docuseries that went No. 1 globally on Netflix, and to really feel like we weren’t getting something in return, even financially, sparked the dialog.

We determined to let cameras in as a result of we had lots of people reaching out to us expressing their considerations about our pay. We have been like, “Individuals are speaking about this, we would as effectively share this with them and present them that we hear you and we agree with you, and it’s not that we don’t worth ourselves.” We do worth ourselves, nevertheless it’s robust. It’s robust to battle for what you’re price, however we’re keen to do it. So, we thought it’d be particular to point out folks that we’re girls who see our price and we’re capable of stand for that.

What’s your recommendation to different girls within the office? As a result of this battle will have an effect on others within the skilled dance world, however can even encourage folks past that.

My mother all the time advised me, rising up, “By no means be afraid to make use of your voice. As a result of the worst they’re going to say is ‘No.’ By no means be afraid to ask questions, to have conversations.” That was one thing that I stored behind my head throughout these conversations. “The worst that comes out of that is ‘No.’” And, if that’s the worst that may occur, I’m okay with that. I can settle for that. That’s clearly not what we wish, however I can take a no, so what can I do to get that “Sure”?

I might encourage folks to make use of their voices. I really feel like girls, particularly, really feel like we now have to be quiet and we now have to just accept issues, and that’s not the case. I do know it’s simpler stated than completed. I hope girls can see that it’s okay to have robust conversations; say what must be stated, despite the fact that it’s not straightforward. Since you by no means know what the end result can be. And, in our case, it was price it.

You all have been able to stroll out if want be. You have been prepared to face on enterprise.

Significantly, and that was difficult, particularly figuring out it was going to be my final season. Nothing in me wished to overlook any a part of this yr. I had my household on the town, and to consider everybody spending cash and giving up their time to see me, the very last thing I wished to do was disappoint them and never be on the market on the sector. However, behind my thoughts, I knew this was a lot greater than simply me. This wasn’t about me getting to bounce in entrance of my household. It was me having the ability to stick up for ladies who got here earlier than me and girls who’re going to come back after me. However I’m glad we didn’t must do all that, they usually have been nonetheless capable of come to an answer.

You bought somewhat emotional once you have been named the purpose of the triangle this season. What was it prefer to be on the market, entrance and heart?

I by no means thought that was one thing that was in my playing cards as a DCC. And I’ll be fully sincere, it wasn’t as a result of I used to be a lady of coloration; it was due to my peak. Lots of people discuss that — I’ve seen the feedback, “She’s too tall” — and it’s hurtful, as a result of that’s not one thing I can change. There are simply sure issues about your self that you simply simply have to just accept, and for me, it was my peak. So, that’s why I used to be so shocked within the second. I used to be like, “Are you critical? Like, you need to put me there?”

After all, it’s such an honor, being the purpose of our workforce. It doesn’t make me any higher of a dancer than anybody. I’m not the lady who’s the “excellent DCC.” However the truth that they trusted you, they belief that if one thing have been to occur, they know you may lead the workforce. So, to know that that they had that sort of belief in me, I’m so grateful for that.