NFL cheerleaders are strictly forbidden from complaints of any kind, including complaints about their wages. If they do complain, they’ll probably be fired and it’s unlikely they’ll ever feel comfortable enough to ask for a raise.
This mindset really affects the cheerleaders because they’re paid almost nothing. After all the expenses that go into being a cheerleader are deducted, studies found that some girls make as little as $2.85 an hour. Some girls never break even and end up spending much more than they make just to stay on the team.
They Can’t Say They’re Affiliated With the Team
NFL teams are very serious about how they’re represented in public. While certain teams demand that their cheerleaders act in a certain way, others don’t want the cheerleaders associated with the team at all for fear that they might say something that reflects poorly on the organization.
The San Francisco 49ers told their cheerleaders that they couldn’t tell anyone they were part of the team. Think about that – all that work to become a professional cheerleader and you can’t even tell anyone what your job is.
They Must Regularly Exercise
Cheerleading is a big workout in itself. However, showing up to the constant practices isn’t enough according to the NFL. Many NFL teams demand that their cheerleaders exercise regularly outside of normal practices.
To meet this guideline, the cheerleaders have to pay for gym memberships. It’s yet another bill they have to cover in order to earn their spot of the team.
They Must Shave In a Certain Way
The invasive rules never seem to end. After being told what they can and can’t wash with, some cheerleader handbooks also outline how exactly the women should shave.
The rules for shaving don’t even make any sense. It’s better to allow the women to shave in a way that works for their bodies. Most grown adults know how to shave, and being forced to shave in a certain way for your job just isn’t okay.
They Have to Buy Their Own Calendar
Imagine, your job requires you to pose for the annual calendar. But the ridiculous part is that you don’t get your own free copy. Even though there wouldn’t be a calendar without your face joining the rest of the cheerleading squad, you still have to cough up some cash for your own copy.
Surely, letting NFL cheerleaders keep a free copy would be a token of goodwill, but that goodwill doesn’t apply to cheerleaders. The worst part is they can’t even frown in their photoshoots. While some of us are jealous that we’re not the poster girl of the NFL, maybe it just goes to show that the grass isn’t green on the other side – especially, the NFL side-lines.