Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders: Members get a 400% pay raise
"Our efforts were heard and they wanted to give us a raise," McElaney said, via the Associated Press. "And we ended up getting a 400% increase, which is like, life-changing."
In 2019, the group fought for a raise in game rates, which doubled from $200 to $400 at the time. Former member Kristin Westbrook took to Instagram, where she revealed some of the pay structure.
"When I was on the team, it was: hourly for practice [of] $15/hour," she wrote on her Instagram Stories on Saturday June 21, via US Weekly. She added that members would also get "flat fees" for various other performances.
"Flat fee for appearances - $100 (x # of years on the team)," Westbrook added, pointing out that a rookie would make $100, while a second-year veteran would earn $200 and so on.
Veterans and rookies are on different pay scales, with the former earning more money with more experience. The El Paso Times noted that "a veteran will see her pay increase from a reported $15 per hour to $60 per hour, and there will be many appearances by the team outside of game days."
Salaries are not disclosed, but reports indicate that a veteran will make around $150,000 per year. Even though they received an increase in compensation, the group still does not receive health insurance from the team.
Former cheerleader, Jada McLean, told the New York Times in an interview that she made $15 an hour and $500 for each appearance in 2024. It's been a long battle for raises from cheerleaders, who have cited concerns dealing with financial stress in recent years.
They are a key component of the game day experience for many teams, giving them a unique position to negotiate from. Now that the Cowboys cheerleaders have received their raise, the hope is that the new deal will provide some financial security that was previously lacking under the old compensation package.
In December 2024, Forbes listed the Cowboys as the most valuable franchise in sports at $10.1 billion. It appears their cheerleaders are now going to be paid like it.
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Scottish Sun
15 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Stacey Solomon hits back at fans accusing her of being ‘smug' on ‘free holiday' after £30k trip to Turkey
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) STACEY Solomon has hit back at fans who branded her "smug" and accused her of blagging a "free" holiday - after she splashed out on a luxury trip to Turkey. The mum of five sparked a wave of comments online after she shared snaps from her stunning getaway. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 7 Stacey Soloman hit back at trolls who accused her of flaunting her "free holiday" Credit: Instagram 7 She made it clear that these claims were not true, and the trip was "very expensive" Credit: Instagram 7 The mum of five took her whole family on holiday to Turkey Credit: Instagram The Loose Women star, 35, flew to Turkey with husband Joe Swash, 43, and their kids, as well as her sisters, their kids and her father, for a huge family getaway. But she was cruelly shamed for her latest big-bucks trip as fans claimed the star was "seriously smug" and "out of touch." 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The source added: 'They're worried that if they don't have a break from the cameras and the limelight, it could affect what makes their relationship special. 'They're still very much in love and are really trying to focus on each other amid the silly bickering and moments of tension, and remember why they got together in the first place – and why they're actually so perfect together. "They have vowed to carve out some quality time this summer to do that." 7 Stacey insisted that she paid for her family holiday Credit: Instagram 7 The star shared snaps of her blended family on social media Credit: Instagram 7 Some fans wondered where Joe's son Harry was Credit: Instagram
Scottish Sun
15 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Hollyoaks quietly recast character as he makes soap return after a year off screen
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The Guardian
16 minutes ago
- The Guardian
How the US army is using influencers to recruit a new generation: ‘Promise them this idea of stability'
Fitness influencer Steven Kelly posted a carousel of photos on Instagram last month that included shots of himself dressed in military fatigues climbing a rope wall and aiming a firearm. Kelly, who has 1.3 million followers on the platform, isn't enlisted in any military branch – instead it was a sponsored post created in partnership with the US army. 'This experience showed me how the Army builds readiness, resilience, and discipline,' the caption said, as Kelly described the experience of taking part in basic training exercises. The post pointed followers to a link in his bio to learn more about the US army's opportunities. Kelly is just one of a number of influencers who are creating sponsored content as part of a new initiative by the US army to reach potential gen-Z recruits who may not have ever had exposure to military life. Many of the partnerships are with lifestyle content creators – other examples include a chef, an extreme sports enthusiast and travel influencers. 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Robert Kozinets, a professor at the University of Southern California who has written extensively about social media and marketing, said the content wasn't so dissimilar from other types of advertising campaigns. 'We're pretty used to celebrities or personalities who are endorsing particular products,' even if they don't use them themselves, said Kozinets, adding: 'You don't have to live at Disneyland to do a review of Disneyland.' While the recruitment effort is new, military influencers who post about life in the armed forces are not. Some creators such as @onexpunchxdad on TikTok poke fun at military life and highlight some of the realities. A recent post, for example, explains three things video games get wrong about the military (one is that it actually hurts if you get shot). And next month, a Military Influencer conference in Atlanta includes sessions about how content creators navigate both active duty and their personal lives and as well as elevating military voices on TikTok. The recent slate of sponsored posts, though, are slicker, and selling something more exciting than the reality. In another example, Breannah Yeh, an extreme sports influencer known for her slacklining videos, posted about the experience of tandem skydiving with the army. 'Challenges are what let us grow,' said an army captain in the video before Yeh jumps out of the plane. 'That was so epic. I do feel pretty incredible,' Yeh said after landing on the beach thanks to an army-branded parachute. The video ends with the familiar slogan: 'Be all you can be.' The US army's hope is that the content is enticing enough to attract more people to enlist. 'By participating in immersive army experiences alongside real soldiers, these influencers provide firsthand insights into military life and the possibilities of army service,' Bonzo said. The move follows the trend of several branches of the military branches having trouble meeting their enlistment goals in recent years, said Katherine Kuzminski, the director of studies at Center for a New American Security who researches military recruitment and retention. With more young people at home finishing school remotely because of the pandemic, they had less opportunity for exposure to programs such as the ROTC, she said. 'Accessing this entire generation of young adults who were in transition became challenging,' said Kuzminski. But the numbers are rebounding and recruitment is up again. Just before Memorial Day, Donald Trump said while traveling in Riyadh that military recruitment was rebounding more than ever under his administration. 'After years of military recruiting shortfalls, enlistments in the US armed forces are now the highest in 30 years because there is such an incredible spirit in the United States of America,' he said. The pattern began before Trump took office, data shows. Between 2020 and 2023, the army missed its annual recruitment goals. Last year, recruitment improved and it met its target. In June, the army announced it met its goals of enlisting 61,000 new recruits – four months earlier than expected. Jess Rauchberg, an assistant professor at Seton Hall University who studies the cultural impact of social media, reviewed some of the posts on behalf of the Guardian and said the content also has a message of security in an unstable time. 'The military is capitalizing on this moment to say, 'Well, our numbers are down and gen Z is hurting for jobs and stable lives,'' said Rauchberg, Working with creators is a way to 'promise them this idea of stability – if you work for us, we will take care of you'. 'That's appealing to a lot of young people,' she added.
