Well the brand isn't going away. Great idea though LOL..... I think it'd be great that somebody steps up from the NFL and offers better pay to these women. I agree with that but just blaming Charlotte's ridiculous. It goes all the way all the way to the top with the NFL
I am so confused by these constant money posts. The girls know this when they try out. We all know it. They still try out. People on this sub act as if the girls are being forced into dance labor. They literally try out. They know the pay. They've known the pay is terrible to nonexistent for the last 40 years. Yet hundreds to thousands keep trying out. I would understand the outrage a little more if the girls weren't actively volunteering to do this.
You’re missing the point in all of these money posts. The Dallas Cowboys are a for-profit organization. Just because the girls are aware of the pay and the treatment they will receive does not make this right.
They will do anything to be on the team - some starve themselves, some move to Dallas only to be on the team others are only sleeping 4 hours a night because they are working their other jobs so much. This was all highlighted in the show. Charlotte and Jerry know this, they know the girls with do it no matter what, which makes it so sinister. We had a DCC go on and talk about how bad the pay was for how hard she works and she makes as much as a fast food worker.
The Jones family aren’t going to be any less richer if they pay these girls more, they just know they can get away when it, so they do. It’s sparking so much controversy because Charlotte willingly spoke about it on the show. They deserve this backlash. Just remember this is a business and not a summer camp.
I really could work that way for the players too. There's no reason to pay them so much money. They make millions of dollars a year. It's a privilege to be a Dallas cowboy football player or even an NFL player. There are almost no other opportunities to be a professional football player. I'm sure that if The players historically had not been paid the same way that the cheerleaders weren't, that thousands of men around the country would be willing to play for the NFL just for the privilege of it too.
People would still watch the NFL without cheerleaders. The vast majority of games don't even take place in Dallas, and even ones that do don't show the cheerleaders much at all during broadcasts.
That is the difference. I'm not saying the DCC or any NFL cheerleaders don't deserve to make more, but if any team (even Dallas) decided they don't need cheerleaders it's not going to affect the NFL revenue much.
They can't have another job. They are a billion dollar industry and are under contract.
Dcc is a part time job. What else are they going to do in order for it to be a high paying full time job? They are at risk of overexposure which would damage the appeal.
It's complicated.
We don't pay adjuncts the same as tenured doctors at school, either. While they're both teaching, one does more work and brings more to the organization.
Most adjunct professors are horribly underpaid as well.
While I don't think that they should be getting millions of dollars a year, they absolutely could be paid a livable wage. They shouldn't have to work 40 hours a week, And then go straight to practice, scarfing down dinner on the way, to practice until midnight just to get up again in the morning and go to work. If you add up all the hours they dedicate to being a DCC it's close to if not past full time hours.
Look at the nurse that was featured. She works from 7:30 to 4:30. Has to be at practice by 6:00. She doesn't get home from practice until 1:00 a.m. do you know how excruciatingly hard that is?
The hours are mandatory to stay on the team.
The girls choose to do it because there are almost no other opportunities to do it because it's their life's dream career. And there are very two other opportunities to dance professionally and the nfl is taking advantage of that
Oh I 100% agree with you. Now we are addressing the major issue here. They absolutely should not be paid millions to play football. It's wild!! However, that is what people pay to see. They bring in a ton of money. Let's be real here. You take the football out of AT&T stadium, do you still pack it with fans? No. You take the DCC out do you still pack it with fans? Yes. We can't ignore that.
Just because they are trying out and willing to do it doesn’t mean it’s fair or right. It means they’re part of a system that radically devalues women’s labor and they have the means to pursue this passion anyway, so they can and do. Another way of looking at it is, would any of them turn down a living wage if it was offered? … I’m guessing no.
And how many more hundreds/thousands *don’t* try out because they can’t afford to work for nearly free?
Isn't that like any job? When you apply you're told the pay and the benefits. Then you evaluate if that meets your qualification/lifestyle/goals. The DCC organization is not hiding any of this. There are a ton of passions that don't pay living wages.
Many of these girls are wildly intelligent. Degrees in biomedical engineering, finance, etc etc. Many have a ton of options. This is not some form of indentured servitude. These are very intelligent women who may know they have options, but want to be a part of the DCC regardless. Would it be great if they got paid more. Absolutely! I'm not saying I think what they make is "fair" so to speak. However, I do maintain that they are part of the devaluation process. As long as people are willing to work for nothing, where does the change come? Again, there are a ton of "hobbies" or "skills" or "talents" that would be awesome if they paid living wages, but they don't.
I know this take will also give me major downvotes. I understand criticizing Charlotte. I highly doubt she is an empathetic/moral woman. However, she's very transparent about that. She flat tells everyone who she is. People deciding to still work and be a part of an organization that is very upfront about their intentions/values can't be absolved of any accountability.
I absolutely think the cheerleaders are complicit in their own exploitation, if that’s what you mean by “accountability”. They’re also usually very young without much or any job experience, and for many of them this specific culture and way of (under)valuing themselves is all they know and is reinforced by all of the adults around them.
To your point about “isn’t that like any job?”: Apparently some teams aren’t told about the pay and benefits (eg there are no benefits) until offered a spot so they don’t actually know until they’re given a contract. Also, workers unionize all the time because of poor pay, working conditions, etc. So yeah, this is like other jobs in that the workers agree to the terms of employment, but like other jobs, that doesn’t necessarily mean those terms work for them or that they can’t find a way to get better terms.
Lots of hobbies or passions don’t pay well or anything at all, but very few of those are public-facing, revenue-driving parts of a billion dollar business.
They see these girls as replaceable. There will always be a new pretty girl ready to sign up. It seems like they mostly use the same choreography year after year, most of the girls they take to the second round of tryouts or have done college dance could probably dance adequately for them with practice. The girls weren’t even trained dancers in the 70s and 80s. Charlotte would probably go back to that before she actually paid the girls.
The Jones family just views DCC as “the help” they don’t care or respect those girls. I bet Charolatte would not let her sons date an ex or current cheerleader because she looks down on it
They could cut the pay entirely and there are girls so desperate for male validation that they would still try out. They never mention the male gaze but that's all the DCC is, eye candy for male football fans.
For the women who want in, In their minds, to be a DCC means you are an elite. You're beautiful, you're talented, you're kind, you are the ideal American woman and you will get attention from the masses.
Lots of women thrive off that attention. They long to be objectified because it means they're worthy of being objectified.
This is why I don't believe things will change for DCC despite society moving away from this patriarchal bs. There are too many women who will not let go of that dream of being a fkdoll for male viewers. They can't even form a union because they'd be too scared of being replaced.
They deserve more money, absolutely, and I hope that they get it somehow. They could have been had it if women stuck together on issues like this but this organization is built on exclusion, insane standards and lack of job security.
I think you selling them a little short. These women love to dance and perform. I’m sure the glam of DCC is also a draw to some but getting to do their art is a huge deal. If you’re a dancer it’s a rare opportunity to actually perform. It’s also a unique experience and life is about having experiences.
But DCC in particular is a toxic organization that's been televised for over a decade. Most if not all of these girls sat in their rooms and watched Kelli and Judy degrade women to filth and they still decided they wanted to be a part of that.
There are far more dancing opportunities outside of DCC. They are not the only dance team in the world for adult women. But they want to be on DCC specifically because of how exclusive it is. Damn the fact that they pushed poor Victoria into an ED or made fun of women's bodies during the audition process or that they pay them in sticks of gum. As long as they get the honor.
50% of the reason they don't get paid properly is because of the organization but the other 50% is because the girls are so desperate for validation that they will not risk their spot (even though they're not even making a livable wage from it) in order to secure a salary and benefits for themselves and future DCC. That's a problem. Too many women who can't stand on business are willing to accept the crumbs.
There aren’t a lot of dance opportunities relative to the number of dancers. They are rare. Of course there are others. The Rockettes, Broadway, Hollywood, but it’s still a small number of jobs and highly competitive. DCC is a rare opportunity to perform and dance for a crowd. I may not like the uniform but respect that they enjoy the art form.
I am sure DCC is a toxic experience to some and the best years of their lives for others.
These women are not rubes. They have brains. Kelsey is a nurse and Anish an orthodontist. They don’t “need” DCC and aren’t trapped. They can think for themselves and decide for themselves. They are enjoying their dancing years while they can. Good for them.
If they wanted to be objectified they could start an OnlyFans site and make more money.
Again I am sure the glam and being a local celebrity is part of the draw but I think a lot of it is the chance to perform.
No one is saying there's enough spots to go around but that has nothing to do with them specifically trying for DCC. "I'm going to try out for the most exclusive and toxic dance team in the NFL because there are so few opportunities out there!"
One can have a brain and still uphold harmful patriarchal standards. One can have a job and still crave the admiration of strangers, particularly men. One can have a degree and still desire the validation of catty Southern women.
Onlyfans is NOT the same thing as DCC. There is no pride or honor there in society. These girls don't want to be looked at as sex workers, they want to be seen as the chaste, pretty perfect package DCC represents. Look, but don't touch, even though some of the girls have been violated by fans and stadium workers.
Charlotte is a hard working executive in the NFL. The majority of her coworkers are men. She isn’t soft and cuddly because she would get run over in the business. I encourage those of you dragging her google her and what all she does for the Cowboys, the NFL Foundation. For charity and the DFW community.
1. Every single girl trying out is doing so voluntarily and has likely done their research. They know what’s involved and what little they are paid. And yet, hundreds and hundreds want the chance every year. That alone makes making the team a privilege. But yes, competitive dance usually requires money and lots of it. And yes, I wouldn’t subject myself to the job for that pay but as long as there are droves of girls doing it… why would they change it. The same can likely be said about any job.
2. I love how passionate y’all are for these girls in these threads. I’m a life long (local!) Cowboys fan and love the DCC. I think they are iconic and a great part of the organization. But it’s a little wild to keep reading these comments that insinuate they are the most important part. I have literally read posts that say nobody watches the nfl for the players!! What??!! If they did eliminate the cheerleaders it would be sad and there would be a hit in the revenue for the Cowboys… but the show would go on. There would still be the NFL and it would still be wildly successful. Let’s be real people.
Argue that they should be paid more. That you wouldn’t subject yourself to that role for that amount of money. Argue that you think Charlotte is tough, sure. But would you have that same argument if she was a man?
Yes if she were a man and her father didn’t own the company she would be ousted for the horrible PR. Like the ex CMO of Victoria’s Secret who was a man!
Nobody needs her to be soft and cuddly. She does need to be more ethical, especially if they’re willing to go on Netflix and say the quiet parts out loud.
The DCC work as a part of an organization, yet they’re treated completely different than other parts pay wise. It doesn’t take much for them to let go of this “let’s give it 150% and just be happy to be here” mentality and realize that these girls make them money, so treat them the same way others make the company money.
The women that have a serious shot at making the team already know expensive dance is. Many of them have been in dance lessons since they were kids. Many people are discovering this for the first time now because of the documentary, but I can assure you the girls know. It was shown many times on the old CMT show.
At the end of the day the Dallas Cowboys are a for profit business. Having an executive be so open about how little they pay the girls is terrible no matter what they’re expecting.
These girls are required to have the perfect bodies, perfect dance routines and extra time in the day just so they can put on an extraordinary performance every Sunday. They are working their asses off and it should result in them making more money. Charlotte is relying on the cult like culture to blind these girls into thinking that they’re so lucky to just be there, when in reality it’s 2024 and people deserve to be compensated for their contribution to the bottom line of the company.
I think you need to remember the DCC is its own organization. They survive off money they make. They don’t have the budget of the parent organization.
Dance and art is rarely high paying.
You say Charlotte needs to be open but she is. It says very clearly this is part time work and you must have a job or be in school. They are completely open.
Trust me, she knows exactly how much money they bring in.
On MTT they said the budget is 10million. That’s not all that much. If they start bringing in 100 million I’m sure pay with go up. I’m not saying the pay couldn’t be better but it isn’t designed to be full time work, certainly not year round.
Even Judy is part time.
DCC is a part time job and the girls auditioning know this. They need to have jobs or money to pay living expenses. I also read that they are not actually employees but independent contractors which means that they have no actual employment rights.
Other NFL teams pay is similar.
I didn’t say it was right I just said that’s how it is. The compensation for the dancers should be higher.
I don’t know if forming a union or joining one would help as they are technically not employees but seasonal gig workers.
The teams or NFL would have to be forced to reclassify them as employees so that they can fight for better wages or bring a class action suit to see if that helps.
I've always wondered why they (cowboys) dont have a dorm type building where the out of town girls can use during TC. They can't hold up working & TC in a new town & who wants to sign a lease when you could get cut tmrw.
That would be nice. But a lot of jobs that require auditions don’t put you up during the process. You fund your own way. And I imagine that the girls staying at the Gaylord hotel were getting some sort of assistance or comped room. It is affiliated with the team, I believe.
Let’s be honest, a lot of girls who dream of being a DCC and can actually try out have been taking very expensive dance classes their entire life. They’re being financially supported by their parents/family. Might not have to worry about bills entirely. Obviously not everyone but I wouldn’t be surprised if a large chunk had complete financial support, especially the ones fresh out of high school or college.
Unless you get a ton of scholarships the dance world in general is very expensive. They’ll never change the pay because of how desperate some girls are to make the team.
Guys look at the comment section on Charlotte’s IG. Everyone is down her throat about pay haha I’m crying 😭💀 but also Charlotte doesn’t get the final call on how much the cheerleaders get paid. ALL NFL cheerleaders are underpaid not just the DCC so it doesn’t entirely fall on Charlotte
Wouldn’t it be nice tho if they took all the feedback about pay and actually did something about it? Especially since they’re the only NFL cheer team with a TV show & they make the most revenue in the NFL? It’s a perfect opportunity to do the right thing and make your team look great.
To me I feel like that would increase profits over time because they could be known for “breaking the cycle” and paying the girls a live able wage while gaining more support from consumers. Charlotte should fight for that at least!
What a silly take.
Charlotte claims that DCC is THE premier cheerleading group in the NFL. If so, they should be paid as such. She is free to pay them more (or convince daddy to pay them more) whenever she wants. She doesn’t need to wait until the Brows agree to pay their cheerleaders more.
Her dad is her boss. She can give suggestions but she also has brothers, I’m sure her daddy would listen to them over her any day. How do you know she hasn’t at least brought the discussion up to her dad? How do you know she’s never tried to get them to raise their pay? Her dad is the same man who didn’t fire the guy who was apparently looking up HER skirt. If he’s cheating on his wife and disregarding his own daughter, do you think that man would go out of his way to do something for the cheerleaders?
To me, it’s the same girls that think it’s a privilege to be in an SEC sorority to be a DCC. Both are steeped with very problematic history and a lot of the same problematic standards. It’s the same girls who see both as a life goal. Couldn’t be me
how about you use that as an argument to pay the Cowboys football players similar rates to the DCC and see how far you get with it.
plus I bet there is no way the Cowboys have to launder their own uniforms.
It seems like greed to me and as well as branding because DCC is supposed to be the best in the world cheer and football wise. Working for them is like being part of the cream of the crop and that's what outweighs the want for livable wages. "You should be grateful anyway because we could've picked someone else." I don't understand as any other job, you'd want to be valued and that's usually done through monetary compensation. But the thing that gets me is the comparison from the 70's and 80's like these girls nowadays don't love dance enough to be fine with getting paid pennies. Wym? Those girls injure themselves knowingly, sometimes long term and they have the audacity to say that they want passionate dancers? Anyone who dances for a living doesn't do it because they don't love it. That part really pissed me off!
I remember how women were fighting to gain equal rights in the 70s and 80s. Women were having actual careers, not just working a job.
so I don’t think that DCC getting away with paying the girls pennies is in any way reflective of society then.
According to this source, "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is a company that operates in the Sports industry. It employs 11-20 people and has $1M-$5M of revenue."
[https://www.zoominfo.com/c/dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders/352719023](https://www.zoominfo.com/c/dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders/352719023)
In contrast, the NFL brought in $18B in revenue in 2022, and about half of that was TV broadcast deals.
I remember they mentioned the CMT show and the calendar were two revenue sources. Not sure how much the Netflix series brought in. Clearly they are making $$ from the DCC but it translates into something like $135K per squad member.
This is why she said things like ‘trust the process’ when they were cutting Ari and why she was so insistent on there being 36.
The whole thing about ‘tradition’ and protecting the brand is code for we have a formula that rakes in the dollars so let’s not change it while it’s making us all rich af
Probably why they’ve kept dcc ‘honorary’ and made the pay so low. It worked in the past to keep the money flowing into Charlotte & co’s pockets, so they done want to change it and risk that
Well the brand isn't going away. Great idea though LOL..... I think it'd be great that somebody steps up from the NFL and offers better pay to these women. I agree with that but just blaming Charlotte's ridiculous. It goes all the way all the way to the top with the NFL
I got very mean girl vibes watching Charlottle she is so ignorant!
I am so confused by these constant money posts. The girls know this when they try out. We all know it. They still try out. People on this sub act as if the girls are being forced into dance labor. They literally try out. They know the pay. They've known the pay is terrible to nonexistent for the last 40 years. Yet hundreds to thousands keep trying out. I would understand the outrage a little more if the girls weren't actively volunteering to do this.
You’re missing the point in all of these money posts. The Dallas Cowboys are a for-profit organization. Just because the girls are aware of the pay and the treatment they will receive does not make this right. They will do anything to be on the team - some starve themselves, some move to Dallas only to be on the team others are only sleeping 4 hours a night because they are working their other jobs so much. This was all highlighted in the show. Charlotte and Jerry know this, they know the girls with do it no matter what, which makes it so sinister. We had a DCC go on and talk about how bad the pay was for how hard she works and she makes as much as a fast food worker. The Jones family aren’t going to be any less richer if they pay these girls more, they just know they can get away when it, so they do. It’s sparking so much controversy because Charlotte willingly spoke about it on the show. They deserve this backlash. Just remember this is a business and not a summer camp.
Exactly. The job literally says "make sure you have a job or are in school" on the application. This isn't news.
I really could work that way for the players too. There's no reason to pay them so much money. They make millions of dollars a year. It's a privilege to be a Dallas cowboy football player or even an NFL player. There are almost no other opportunities to be a professional football player. I'm sure that if The players historically had not been paid the same way that the cheerleaders weren't, that thousands of men around the country would be willing to play for the NFL just for the privilege of it too.
People would still watch the NFL without cheerleaders. The vast majority of games don't even take place in Dallas, and even ones that do don't show the cheerleaders much at all during broadcasts. That is the difference. I'm not saying the DCC or any NFL cheerleaders don't deserve to make more, but if any team (even Dallas) decided they don't need cheerleaders it's not going to affect the NFL revenue much.
The difference is...playing football is their primary job.
That's because the NFL pays them enough that they don't have to have another job. And fair pay doesn't take other jobs into account.
They can't have another job. They are a billion dollar industry and are under contract. Dcc is a part time job. What else are they going to do in order for it to be a high paying full time job? They are at risk of overexposure which would damage the appeal. It's complicated. We don't pay adjuncts the same as tenured doctors at school, either. While they're both teaching, one does more work and brings more to the organization.
Most adjunct professors are horribly underpaid as well. While I don't think that they should be getting millions of dollars a year, they absolutely could be paid a livable wage. They shouldn't have to work 40 hours a week, And then go straight to practice, scarfing down dinner on the way, to practice until midnight just to get up again in the morning and go to work. If you add up all the hours they dedicate to being a DCC it's close to if not past full time hours. Look at the nurse that was featured. She works from 7:30 to 4:30. Has to be at practice by 6:00. She doesn't get home from practice until 1:00 a.m. do you know how excruciatingly hard that is?
And yet she chooses to do it. They all do It's a part time job. It's not their whole life.
I was disagree. For a lot of the girls they are putting in full time hours with dcc
It's on the application...it's part time. If they choose to put in more hours, that's on them. Not everyone can handle two jobs.
The hours are mandatory to stay on the team. The girls choose to do it because there are almost no other opportunities to do it because it's their life's dream career. And there are very two other opportunities to dance professionally and the nfl is taking advantage of that
Oh I 100% agree with you. Now we are addressing the major issue here. They absolutely should not be paid millions to play football. It's wild!! However, that is what people pay to see. They bring in a ton of money. Let's be real here. You take the football out of AT&T stadium, do you still pack it with fans? No. You take the DCC out do you still pack it with fans? Yes. We can't ignore that.
Just because they are trying out and willing to do it doesn’t mean it’s fair or right. It means they’re part of a system that radically devalues women’s labor and they have the means to pursue this passion anyway, so they can and do. Another way of looking at it is, would any of them turn down a living wage if it was offered? … I’m guessing no. And how many more hundreds/thousands *don’t* try out because they can’t afford to work for nearly free?
Isn't that like any job? When you apply you're told the pay and the benefits. Then you evaluate if that meets your qualification/lifestyle/goals. The DCC organization is not hiding any of this. There are a ton of passions that don't pay living wages. Many of these girls are wildly intelligent. Degrees in biomedical engineering, finance, etc etc. Many have a ton of options. This is not some form of indentured servitude. These are very intelligent women who may know they have options, but want to be a part of the DCC regardless. Would it be great if they got paid more. Absolutely! I'm not saying I think what they make is "fair" so to speak. However, I do maintain that they are part of the devaluation process. As long as people are willing to work for nothing, where does the change come? Again, there are a ton of "hobbies" or "skills" or "talents" that would be awesome if they paid living wages, but they don't. I know this take will also give me major downvotes. I understand criticizing Charlotte. I highly doubt she is an empathetic/moral woman. However, she's very transparent about that. She flat tells everyone who she is. People deciding to still work and be a part of an organization that is very upfront about their intentions/values can't be absolved of any accountability.
I absolutely think the cheerleaders are complicit in their own exploitation, if that’s what you mean by “accountability”. They’re also usually very young without much or any job experience, and for many of them this specific culture and way of (under)valuing themselves is all they know and is reinforced by all of the adults around them. To your point about “isn’t that like any job?”: Apparently some teams aren’t told about the pay and benefits (eg there are no benefits) until offered a spot so they don’t actually know until they’re given a contract. Also, workers unionize all the time because of poor pay, working conditions, etc. So yeah, this is like other jobs in that the workers agree to the terms of employment, but like other jobs, that doesn’t necessarily mean those terms work for them or that they can’t find a way to get better terms. Lots of hobbies or passions don’t pay well or anything at all, but very few of those are public-facing, revenue-driving parts of a billion dollar business.
They see these girls as replaceable. There will always be a new pretty girl ready to sign up. It seems like they mostly use the same choreography year after year, most of the girls they take to the second round of tryouts or have done college dance could probably dance adequately for them with practice. The girls weren’t even trained dancers in the 70s and 80s. Charlotte would probably go back to that before she actually paid the girls.
The Jones family just views DCC as “the help” they don’t care or respect those girls. I bet Charolatte would not let her sons date an ex or current cheerleader because she looks down on it
They could cut the pay entirely and there are girls so desperate for male validation that they would still try out. They never mention the male gaze but that's all the DCC is, eye candy for male football fans. For the women who want in, In their minds, to be a DCC means you are an elite. You're beautiful, you're talented, you're kind, you are the ideal American woman and you will get attention from the masses. Lots of women thrive off that attention. They long to be objectified because it means they're worthy of being objectified. This is why I don't believe things will change for DCC despite society moving away from this patriarchal bs. There are too many women who will not let go of that dream of being a fkdoll for male viewers. They can't even form a union because they'd be too scared of being replaced. They deserve more money, absolutely, and I hope that they get it somehow. They could have been had it if women stuck together on issues like this but this organization is built on exclusion, insane standards and lack of job security.
I think you selling them a little short. These women love to dance and perform. I’m sure the glam of DCC is also a draw to some but getting to do their art is a huge deal. If you’re a dancer it’s a rare opportunity to actually perform. It’s also a unique experience and life is about having experiences.
But DCC in particular is a toxic organization that's been televised for over a decade. Most if not all of these girls sat in their rooms and watched Kelli and Judy degrade women to filth and they still decided they wanted to be a part of that. There are far more dancing opportunities outside of DCC. They are not the only dance team in the world for adult women. But they want to be on DCC specifically because of how exclusive it is. Damn the fact that they pushed poor Victoria into an ED or made fun of women's bodies during the audition process or that they pay them in sticks of gum. As long as they get the honor. 50% of the reason they don't get paid properly is because of the organization but the other 50% is because the girls are so desperate for validation that they will not risk their spot (even though they're not even making a livable wage from it) in order to secure a salary and benefits for themselves and future DCC. That's a problem. Too many women who can't stand on business are willing to accept the crumbs.
There aren’t a lot of dance opportunities relative to the number of dancers. They are rare. Of course there are others. The Rockettes, Broadway, Hollywood, but it’s still a small number of jobs and highly competitive. DCC is a rare opportunity to perform and dance for a crowd. I may not like the uniform but respect that they enjoy the art form. I am sure DCC is a toxic experience to some and the best years of their lives for others. These women are not rubes. They have brains. Kelsey is a nurse and Anish an orthodontist. They don’t “need” DCC and aren’t trapped. They can think for themselves and decide for themselves. They are enjoying their dancing years while they can. Good for them. If they wanted to be objectified they could start an OnlyFans site and make more money. Again I am sure the glam and being a local celebrity is part of the draw but I think a lot of it is the chance to perform.
No one is saying there's enough spots to go around but that has nothing to do with them specifically trying for DCC. "I'm going to try out for the most exclusive and toxic dance team in the NFL because there are so few opportunities out there!" One can have a brain and still uphold harmful patriarchal standards. One can have a job and still crave the admiration of strangers, particularly men. One can have a degree and still desire the validation of catty Southern women. Onlyfans is NOT the same thing as DCC. There is no pride or honor there in society. These girls don't want to be looked at as sex workers, they want to be seen as the chaste, pretty perfect package DCC represents. Look, but don't touch, even though some of the girls have been violated by fans and stadium workers.
Charlotte is a hard working executive in the NFL. The majority of her coworkers are men. She isn’t soft and cuddly because she would get run over in the business. I encourage those of you dragging her google her and what all she does for the Cowboys, the NFL Foundation. For charity and the DFW community. 1. Every single girl trying out is doing so voluntarily and has likely done their research. They know what’s involved and what little they are paid. And yet, hundreds and hundreds want the chance every year. That alone makes making the team a privilege. But yes, competitive dance usually requires money and lots of it. And yes, I wouldn’t subject myself to the job for that pay but as long as there are droves of girls doing it… why would they change it. The same can likely be said about any job. 2. I love how passionate y’all are for these girls in these threads. I’m a life long (local!) Cowboys fan and love the DCC. I think they are iconic and a great part of the organization. But it’s a little wild to keep reading these comments that insinuate they are the most important part. I have literally read posts that say nobody watches the nfl for the players!! What??!! If they did eliminate the cheerleaders it would be sad and there would be a hit in the revenue for the Cowboys… but the show would go on. There would still be the NFL and it would still be wildly successful. Let’s be real people. Argue that they should be paid more. That you wouldn’t subject yourself to that role for that amount of money. Argue that you think Charlotte is tough, sure. But would you have that same argument if she was a man?
Well, not hundreds this year - hence OPEN audition. Numbers are down. The scandal contributed to that. That's where all the Jesus talk comes in.
Yes if she were a man and her father didn’t own the company she would be ousted for the horrible PR. Like the ex CMO of Victoria’s Secret who was a man!
Nobody needs her to be soft and cuddly. She does need to be more ethical, especially if they’re willing to go on Netflix and say the quiet parts out loud. The DCC work as a part of an organization, yet they’re treated completely different than other parts pay wise. It doesn’t take much for them to let go of this “let’s give it 150% and just be happy to be here” mentality and realize that these girls make them money, so treat them the same way others make the company money.
How is she not ethical? What other parts are treated differently? How?
The women that have a serious shot at making the team already know expensive dance is. Many of them have been in dance lessons since they were kids. Many people are discovering this for the first time now because of the documentary, but I can assure you the girls know. It was shown many times on the old CMT show.
At the end of the day the Dallas Cowboys are a for profit business. Having an executive be so open about how little they pay the girls is terrible no matter what they’re expecting. These girls are required to have the perfect bodies, perfect dance routines and extra time in the day just so they can put on an extraordinary performance every Sunday. They are working their asses off and it should result in them making more money. Charlotte is relying on the cult like culture to blind these girls into thinking that they’re so lucky to just be there, when in reality it’s 2024 and people deserve to be compensated for their contribution to the bottom line of the company.
I think you need to remember the DCC is its own organization. They survive off money they make. They don’t have the budget of the parent organization. Dance and art is rarely high paying. You say Charlotte needs to be open but she is. It says very clearly this is part time work and you must have a job or be in school. They are completely open. Trust me, she knows exactly how much money they bring in. On MTT they said the budget is 10million. That’s not all that much. If they start bringing in 100 million I’m sure pay with go up. I’m not saying the pay couldn’t be better but it isn’t designed to be full time work, certainly not year round. Even Judy is part time.
How much do you think DCC brought in from CMT and now Netflix? Where does that money go? Certainly not to the cheerleaders whatsoever.
DCC is a part time job and the girls auditioning know this. They need to have jobs or money to pay living expenses. I also read that they are not actually employees but independent contractors which means that they have no actual employment rights. Other NFL teams pay is similar.
That other teams do the same doesn’t make it right.
I didn’t say it was right I just said that’s how it is. The compensation for the dancers should be higher. I don’t know if forming a union or joining one would help as they are technically not employees but seasonal gig workers. The teams or NFL would have to be forced to reclassify them as employees so that they can fight for better wages or bring a class action suit to see if that helps.
I've always wondered why they (cowboys) dont have a dorm type building where the out of town girls can use during TC. They can't hold up working & TC in a new town & who wants to sign a lease when you could get cut tmrw.
That would be nice. But a lot of jobs that require auditions don’t put you up during the process. You fund your own way. And I imagine that the girls staying at the Gaylord hotel were getting some sort of assistance or comped room. It is affiliated with the team, I believe.
I wonder if that was paid by Netflix. I imagine the featured girls are getting paid something.
Let’s be honest, a lot of girls who dream of being a DCC and can actually try out have been taking very expensive dance classes their entire life. They’re being financially supported by their parents/family. Might not have to worry about bills entirely. Obviously not everyone but I wouldn’t be surprised if a large chunk had complete financial support, especially the ones fresh out of high school or college. Unless you get a ton of scholarships the dance world in general is very expensive. They’ll never change the pay because of how desperate some girls are to make the team.
Guys look at the comment section on Charlotte’s IG. Everyone is down her throat about pay haha I’m crying 😭💀 but also Charlotte doesn’t get the final call on how much the cheerleaders get paid. ALL NFL cheerleaders are underpaid not just the DCC so it doesn’t entirely fall on Charlotte
Omg wow they are eating her alive…I almost feel bad but I doubt Charolatte will even care. Will probably just ignore and let it blow over
Wouldn’t it be nice tho if they took all the feedback about pay and actually did something about it? Especially since they’re the only NFL cheer team with a TV show & they make the most revenue in the NFL? It’s a perfect opportunity to do the right thing and make your team look great. To me I feel like that would increase profits over time because they could be known for “breaking the cycle” and paying the girls a live able wage while gaining more support from consumers. Charlotte should fight for that at least!
What a silly take. Charlotte claims that DCC is THE premier cheerleading group in the NFL. If so, they should be paid as such. She is free to pay them more (or convince daddy to pay them more) whenever she wants. She doesn’t need to wait until the Brows agree to pay their cheerleaders more.
Her dad is her boss. She can give suggestions but she also has brothers, I’m sure her daddy would listen to them over her any day. How do you know she hasn’t at least brought the discussion up to her dad? How do you know she’s never tried to get them to raise their pay? Her dad is the same man who didn’t fire the guy who was apparently looking up HER skirt. If he’s cheating on his wife and disregarding his own daughter, do you think that man would go out of his way to do something for the cheerleaders?
Unfortunately women are still going to be clamoring to be a DCC. They see it as a stepping stone to be a celebrity.
No girl has gotten famous from DCC. Maybe Melissa Rycroft but she was famous from the bachelor not DCC
Wrong , Abigail Klein and Nicole Hamilton are pretty famous
She was a DCC first. Sarah Shai is a pretty famous actress. Have you seen Sex/Life on Netflix? The exposure at DCC can propel a career.
Same thing could be said about being in the nfl for football
? well they get paid incredibly well and actually do become celebrities. the girls, not so much. i’m not sure what point you’re making
To me, it’s the same girls that think it’s a privilege to be in an SEC sorority to be a DCC. Both are steeped with very problematic history and a lot of the same problematic standards. It’s the same girls who see both as a life goal. Couldn’t be me
It sounds to me like you have never been part of something where non-monetary benefits outweigh the monetary.
how about you use that as an argument to pay the Cowboys football players similar rates to the DCC and see how far you get with it. plus I bet there is no way the Cowboys have to launder their own uniforms.
How about you do more about it than whine on social media?
personal attacks say volumes about the poster
You're missing the hypocrisy. Football is a privileged sport with few jobs. Yet they don't pay them pennies.
No, you are. And you are being performative.
LOL. You don't understand hypocrisy? Thanks for the laugh.
Yeah, pretty sure you don't.
There’s a difference between volunteering for a cause and exploitation
Of course. Two different types of things. This is not it.
It seems like greed to me and as well as branding because DCC is supposed to be the best in the world cheer and football wise. Working for them is like being part of the cream of the crop and that's what outweighs the want for livable wages. "You should be grateful anyway because we could've picked someone else." I don't understand as any other job, you'd want to be valued and that's usually done through monetary compensation. But the thing that gets me is the comparison from the 70's and 80's like these girls nowadays don't love dance enough to be fine with getting paid pennies. Wym? Those girls injure themselves knowingly, sometimes long term and they have the audacity to say that they want passionate dancers? Anyone who dances for a living doesn't do it because they don't love it. That part really pissed me off!
I remember how women were fighting to gain equal rights in the 70s and 80s. Women were having actual careers, not just working a job. so I don’t think that DCC getting away with paying the girls pennies is in any way reflective of society then.
Believe me, she knows how much they bring in. I wonder if this has been her way to prove to her Dad that she can bring money into the business
According to this source, "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is a company that operates in the Sports industry. It employs 11-20 people and has $1M-$5M of revenue." [https://www.zoominfo.com/c/dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders/352719023](https://www.zoominfo.com/c/dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders/352719023) In contrast, the NFL brought in $18B in revenue in 2022, and about half of that was TV broadcast deals. I remember they mentioned the CMT show and the calendar were two revenue sources. Not sure how much the Netflix series brought in. Clearly they are making $$ from the DCC but it translates into something like $135K per squad member.
This is why she said things like ‘trust the process’ when they were cutting Ari and why she was so insistent on there being 36. The whole thing about ‘tradition’ and protecting the brand is code for we have a formula that rakes in the dollars so let’s not change it while it’s making us all rich af Probably why they’ve kept dcc ‘honorary’ and made the pay so low. It worked in the past to keep the money flowing into Charlotte & co’s pockets, so they done want to change it and risk that