Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Making the Team-CMT

I looked up their payment and it's shocking. They're paid nothing for rehearsals and $50.00 for performance at games?? The Dallas cheerleaders get appearances and tv roles, and so forth beyond what the team pays--but I doubt that's all of them, and I doubt it's that much money. And it still is completely beyond belief that there's next to no pay for what looks like a very demanding job. Maybe the hours aren't full-time-- but obviously they're expected to do a lot of rehearsal on their on time-- plus general keeping in shape, taking dance classes, travelling to games, etc. Dancers do work for ridiculously low wages in the US, but for a professional company in an organization with so much profit... it's unheard of and, frankly, insulting.

I definitely won't look at the show in quite the same way. Lots of pageantry and glitz with a bit of slave labor thrown in. No wonder most of them have full-time jobs and rehearsals are at night.

I really do want to like the show again, but it's difficult. Another thing is that it seems like it's the same thing over and over. Maybe they need some new blood at the top.

I guess I have a different opinion about the pay. All these girls try out knowing this isn't going to be a job that is going to support them. If the pay is too low, then they need to not try out. I don't know how many of them can jump start a career with being a DCC or former DCC but if they want to put in that much time and effort to be a DCC and to say they were a DCC then what does it matter what they get paid. They aren't complaining. I do alot of things that I get peanuts for but I do it for other reasons besides pay. Some of it is experience, some of it is recognition and some of it is because only a few get to do it and it is considered a great addition to my resume.

I enjoy the show. It's great entertainment. Better than some of the other reality junk we see on tv. In fact it is better than some of the other programming on tv.

JMHO.

I am so happy this is back, and that it streams on CMT.

NFL cheerleaders don't travel to away games, at least not during the regular season

not sure how you can call it slave labor when they are not forced into it.

Well of course, from one point of view, they can all refuse to try out. And you can argue it's all about supply and demand. There are tons of people and few jobs-- so the people often have to accept pretty terrible conditions in order to get the job-- there's always someone who is willing to make the sacrifice. And since there' s nowhere else (or almost) to go, the team sets the conditions they like.

Valuation of work or commodities is always a question of what people will pay-- you can say there's no objective value for anything. But sometimes a sense of fairness should balance out the pure economic forces. So even if they don't have to try out and they do know the conditions of the team, that doesn't make it right.

Dance companies in general exploit dancers-- even when they could afford to pay them more--- and given the support for dance in this country, they often can't pay them much. But when an organization has a lot of money and despite that barely pays people-- because they can get away with it-- it simply makes me a little sick

I like(d) the show too, even though it is basically a completely packaged tied with a bow promo for the Dallas Cowboys and the cheerleaders. It sort of telegraphs a bunch of positive values and is well executed. But if the underside of that is exploitative it begins to seem like a much less pretty package.

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Originally Posted by Bjaminsmom

I guess I have a different opinion about the pay. All these girls try out knowing this isn't going to be a job that is going to support them. If the pay is too low, then they need to not try out. I don't know how many of them can jump start a career with being a DCC or former DCC but if they want to put in that much time and effort to be a DCC and to say they were a DCC then what does it matter what they get paid. They aren't complaining. I do alot of things that I get peanuts for but I do it for other reasons besides pay. Some of it is experience, some of it is recognition and some of it is because only a few get to do it and it is considered a great addition to my resume.

I enjoy the show. It's great entertainment. Better than some of the other reality junk we see on tv. In fact it is better than some of the other programming on tv.

JMHO.

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I had to quote everything you said. Because I totally agree.

I just think with the salaries paid to the players, a salaru of 20 to 30 K wouldnt put a dent in the owners pocket.

It's good for those who still love the show. I have no issue with that. I just think I would feel rather odd offering so much criticism to the girls knowing they they have worked a full time job, rushed to get to practice, change, look great, practice for hours and then I nit pick about their belly or kick. And insisting they attend extra classes to work on their dance moves, when they don't make enough to put gas in their tank to get there. Really? That takes a lot of nerve IMO.

I would just like to be as "over weight" some of the oldies were.