October 23, 2026Updated October 24, 2026, 12:31 p.m. ET
The nation’s most famous cheerleading team is celebrating a victory — but it’s not a Dallas Cowboys victory.
Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and the team jointly announced Friday, Oct. 23, the creation of a union representing cheerleaders that will collectively bargain with the team, the most valuable professional sports franchise in the world. The Cowboys recognize the union and the new independent group is called the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Association (DCCA).
“The Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders are a valued part of the Cowboys organization, deeply respected for the talent and dedication they demonstrate,” the announcement reads. “They remain one of the most sought-after opportunities for talented dancers across the world.”
The cheerleaders were recently featured in a Netflix documentary series “America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders” (and have appeared on many other programs over the years). Season 2 chronicled the dancers’ quest to improve their salaries, with the Dallas Morning News reporting that cheerleaders said they were owed a 400% raise for the 2025 season. In 2024, the New York Times reported that a fifth-grade cheerleader earned $15 an hour and $500 for each appearance.
The Cowboys had no comment when contacted by USA TODAY Sports.
This is not the NFL’s first cheerleading union, however. In 1995, the Buffalo Bills group – the “Jills,” disbanded in 2014 following allegations of mistreatment and underpayment – won a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to become the first union representing cheerleading squads.
The NFL Players’ Association, the union representing thousands of active players, voiced its support in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.
“We commend the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders for forming a union and establishing a collective voice to protect their workplace rights,” an NFLPA spokesperson said.
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