The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are making history off the field. On October 23, 2026, the Dallas Cowboys officially recognized the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association (DCCA) as the collective bargaining representative for the iconic squad. According to the Associated Press, the announcement follows years of talks about compensation and workplace expectations for one of professional sports’ most recognizable cheerleading teams.
A Long Road to Fair Pay
Despite their global recognition, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have faced years of scrutiny over their compensation. The issue gained renewed attention after former cheerleader Erica Wilkins filed a federal fair-wage lawsuit against the Cowboys in 2018. The case settled in 2019, increasing per-game pay from $200 to $400.
(Credit: @erikawilkins_/Instagram)
More recently, Netflix’s America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders brought viewers behind the scenes, highlighting the squad’s demanding schedules, intense expectations, and financial realities. The series also documented efforts to secure better compensation, culminating in a reported 400% pay increase for the 2025 season. Despite that progress, the latest union announcement marks another step toward giving cheerleaders a stronger voice in decisions that affect their professional lives.
What Unionization Means for the Cheerleaders
With the Cowboys recognizing the DCCA, the cheerleaders now have a formal representative to negotiate collectively with the organization. Collective bargaining provides a way to address wages, benefits, working conditions, and other employment concerns.
However, union recognition does not automatically guarantee additional raises or new workplace protections. Those outcomes will depend on negotiations between the association and the Cowboys, and neither side has announced specific terms for a collective bargaining agreement.
the cowboys cheerleaders only getting paid 50 dollars a game when they have the best performance out of anyone with a star on that field is crazy
— deelon (@deelonknowsball) October 23, 2026
Could This Change the NFL?
The move could have implications beyond Dallas. NFL cheerleaders have historically faced questions about compensation, unpaid work, and the expectations placed on performers who help shape a team’s public image. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ high profile, further amplified by their Netflix series, has brought those issues to a much wider audience.
The Buffalo Bills’ former cheerleading squad, known as the Buffalo Jills, unionized in 1995 but disbanded in 2014 amid legal disputes and allegations of mistreatment.
For the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, union recognition is an important step toward having a collective voice in their workplace. After years of public scrutiny and advocacy for better compensation, the next chapter will depend on what the two sides can achieve at the bargaining table.
What's Your Reaction?
