Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Make Major Move After Years Of Pay Disputes

Cowboys cheerleaders unionize after years of struggle© Instagram/ @dallascowboyscheerleaders

The most famous cheer squad in the NFL just made a move off the field. The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to recognize the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association as the collective bargaining representative for the team's cheerleaders, according to the Associated Press. Both sides announced the deal in a joint statement on Friday. It follows years of pressure from the dancers over pay. A contact for the association could not immediately be reached, so details about what comes next remain thin.

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders union: what the joint statement says

The statement was brief and polite. "The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are an esteemed part of the Cowboys organization, deeply respected for the talent and dedication they exhibit," it said. "They remain one of the most sought-after opportunities for talented dancers worldwide."

Recognition matters because it gives the cheerleaders a formal seat at the table. Until now, pay and working terms were set by the team. A recognized bargaining representative means the squad can negotiate as a group instead of one dancer at a time.

The announcement does not list specific terms, a contract timeline or the number of members involved. Those answers will likely come once talks begin.

Cowboys cheerleaders pay history and the road to unionizing

Pay has been the sore spot for years. In 2019, the Cowboys settled a lawsuit with a former cheerleader, and the squad doubled its per-game pay from $200 to $400. Then came a much bigger jump. During the second season of the Netflix series "America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders," which aired last year, one of the cheerleaders said members were getting a 400% boost in pay. That raise, announced in 2025, was four times the 2019 rate.

The business backdrop makes the fight easy to understand. Forbes has ranked the Cowboys as the most valuable pro sports team in the world. The cheerleaders, meanwhile, helped build that brand through game days, television and international appearances. They performed before the Cowboys' game against the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026.

Fans of the team will now watch for what a first contract looks like. Pay, schedules and working conditions are the usual topics in talks like these, though neither side has said what is on the table.