Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders' 400% raise is a reminder of how little female athletes get paid

If you're among the millions who have been riveted by America's Sweethearts, Netflix's docuseries about the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, then you already know that the 36 women who make the squad are nothing less than pro athletes.

Most come from studio-trained dance backgrounds. They endure gruelling training programs and have to meet intense physical demands — their trademark kick-line and jump-split move is so punishing that some of them have torn their hips to the point of needing surgery.

From July to the end of the Cowboys season, they rehearse three to four times per week for two to three hours at a time, and perform at all home games. Practices alone can be a 40-hour-per week commitment, notes People magazine, and that doesn't include their promotional appearances.

And for all this, until recently, they were reportedly not paid enough to support themselves. As the cheerleaders on the show themselves have pointed out, many of them work second or even third jobs.

Now, the second season of America's Sweethearts has dropped, alongside a significant announcement: a 400 per cent pay increase.

"Our efforts were heard and they wanted to give us a raise," four-year veteran Megan McElaney said on the show, calling the increase "life-changing."

The show didn't disclose what the cheerleaders had earned before the pay raise, or what their compensation would look like after it. But former cheerleader Jada McLean told the New York Times Wednesday she used to make $15 US per hour as a five-year veteran on the squad, and with the pay bump, it could be more like $75 US per hour.

While many have been shocked to learn how little NFL cheerleaders are paid, it fits into the overall narrative of the gender pay gap in women's sport,