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Clearly at that rate a NFL cheerleader would need another job or two to support herself. Perhaps this is considered just a side gig. Even still a cheerleader is a professional dancer and this rate is so little for all of their practice time and game time- home or away.

Yes, they should be paid a a decent wage. It is a LOT of work - the fitness/training aspect of it, plus they are constantly traveling for games - I can't imagine they have time to do much else outside of cheerleading. Cheerleading is a sport just like any other that requires time, training, skill, etc - so why are they not being compensated properly?

I did a quick Google and found this: "NFL teams bring in enormous profits – hundreds of millions of dollars every year – yet NFL Cheerleaders get paid nearly nothing. Truly, a waitress at Applebee's makes more per shift than an NFL Cheerleader makes per game. An experienced cheerleader can make about $1,000 to $1,500 per month. Most cheerleaders make far less than that. After two preseason games and eight regular season home games, most NFL cheerleaders make $500 to $750 per SEASON. If that's not embarrassing enough, keep in mind that NFL Mascots earn between $23,000 and $65,000 per year. Mascots also get benefits and bonuses and they don't have to prance about practically naked."

source: http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/much-nfl-cheerleader-make-nfl-cheerleader-salary/

Wow if that's true about the mascots, the cheerleaders are not being treated fairly! Wonder what percentage of mascots are men...

One of my bridesmaids was a cheerleader for a team in New England and the hours required were usually between 20-25 a week, certainly enough to be considered a job and all of them took it very seriously! She could only miss one practice an entire season (practices were Tues/Thurs/Sat) or she'd be cut, plus she always had to do promos, appearances, etc. There were definitely perks but the amount of work and dedication she had to put forth in order to sustain her team membership certainly equaled higher pay than she was making (I think it was $8/hr and they could bill their hours each week.)

Well, NFL football players get paid TONS of money, and in my eyes what they're doing is a hobby too. I don't know if I have an opinion either way (well, other than thinking football players make wayyyyy too much money for running with a ball - sorry, sports fans) but I am surprised they make so little. I'm assuming the team pays for their travel expenses? It would still be pretty cool to get to travel for free.

@meganmp: I agree. I "work" as a dance teacher 2 nights a week. I could never live off the pay. But I love it, so I do it. I wasn't hired for it to be a real "job". Like you said, it's a hobby I get a small amount of money for.

I think they should get paid more. At least during the season and when they train/all the time they put into it. If it's off season and their off time then perhaps they don't need to get paid during that time, in which they can work somewhere else in the meantime.

@Mamaof2: With college athletes... if the unionization push is successful at all, it could have huge ramifications.

@MamaJ: @meganmp: Even if something is a side job, I think they should still receive the minimum wage. The NFL is profiting off of what they do. Part-time jobs should be protected too!

Yes they should get paid a real wage. I don't know a ton (I watched the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders reality show a few years ago) but they have to audition, attend practices, attend promos, attend games, etc. They should be paid for their work. It doesn't matter that the job is highly sought after. You shouldn't have to work for free.

I have really learned a lot by reading this thread, I had no idea they weren't paid a fair wage.

I kind of feel like the responsibility is on the cheerleaders though, if they feel they should be paid more, then they need to organize themselves and protest until their demands are met. I feel like the problem they are facing is that if they do organize and strike, they might just be cut altogether, it's hard to know what the outcome is going to be.

Everyone deserves a living wage, so yes. And honestly, just because low pay has always been associated with professional cheerleading doesn't make it right.

I heard an interview on NPR with a woman who did quite a bit of research into the lifestyle of professional cheerleading and she said that one of the problems with unionization is that the cheerleaders are generally on the younger end of the spectrum, and thus, the turnover rate for the job (or should I say hobby?) is high. So basically, with most women moving on by their mid-20's, say, there aren't really many experienced "older" women who are well-versed in the practice of unionizing.

Yes, same for college athletes. This is a huge talking point for me lol.

I think that NFL cheerleaders absolutely should be paid more- especially with the profits the NFL brings in. My SIL used to be an NFL cheerleader and you really have to LOVE dance/cheer it for the amount of work you put in. She had a full time job because there was no way she could support herself on that ridiculous pay.

Considering the millions and millions of dollars the NFL takes in every year the cheerleaders should definitely get paid more.

They most definitely should be paid a fair wage. Just because it can be considered a hobby doesn't mean it isn't work.
The NFL promotes and profits off of them, so they should be compensated fairly. Modeling doesn't seem like work to me, more a hobby, but girls are paid properly for that. Same should be true for professional cheerleaders. I would argue that something with such strict requirements (required practices, weight, promotional time etc) starts to leave the hobby category.
Especially when the weekly hours are enough to infringe of the time available for your "real" job.