Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Make Jerry Jones A Fortune After Risky Business Move
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders’ Netflix fame has sparked major fashion and beauty deals, boosting their commercial value while raising questions about how much of that growing revenue reaches the cheerleaders.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have become far more than a familiar sight on NFL sidelines. Netflix's America's Sweethearts has helped push the group into a much larger entertainment and lifestyle space, attracting major beauty and fashion partnerships. For Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, the growing commercial appeal of the DCC adds another valuable asset to the franchise. But as sponsorship money grows, questions remain about how much of that success reaches the cheerleaders themselves.
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders attract major brand deals
The DCC already had a strong identity before Netflix brought their lives and training routines to a global audience. The series changed the scale of that exposure and helped brands see the cheerleaders as personalities with influence beyond football.
Former DCC group leader Megan McElaney described the shift clearly. “Before the show,” McElaney said. “There was already a strong level of recognition around the Cowboys Cheerleaders.
“But Netflix introduced the DCCs to a much larger global audience and gave people a deeper connection to the women behind the uniforms.
“We've been recognized more as athletes and have seen more brands reach out that value the work we do.”
That wider reach has opened doors for partnerships with companies such as Sally Beauty and Abercrombie & Fitch. Sally Beauty has become the official beauty retailer of the Cowboys and DCC, while Abercrombie has expanded its relationship with merchandise, styling and year-round activations.
The retail company has even created a branded wardrobe space inside the DCC locker room at The Star, with products refreshed regularly.
Peter Carton, SMU's executive director of sport industry engagement and partnerships, believes the cheerleaders provide advertisers with access to audiences outside traditional football.
“The Cowboys give brands enormous reach,” Carton said. “But the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders give them something different: an authentic bridge from sports into fashion, beauty, entertainment and lifestyle.”
DCC business growth raises pay questions
The commercial momentum is significant. NFL fashion and beauty sponsorship spending reportedly reached $58 million during the 2025-26 season, while the Cowboys accounted for more than $8 million in category sponsorship spending in 2025.
The DCC's social following also exceeds that of 12 NFL teams, highlighting the group's growing digital influence. Yet a larger sponsorship deal does not automatically translate into direct payments for individual cheerleaders.
McElaney explained the distinction.
“A team-level partnership can create more exposure and opportunities for the cheerleaders,” McElaney added. “But that doesn't automatically mean an individual cheerleader receives compensation from that partnership."
Some deals can still offer products, appearances and separate paid opportunities. McElaney believes future partnerships should put the women at the centre of the business.
“The most valuable partnerships would be ones where the women themselves are meaningfully included,” McElaney continued. “Not just used as part of the visual identity of the brand."
For the Cowboys, the DCC has become a powerful commercial platform. The next challenge is ensuring that the people driving that appeal share meaningfully in its rewards.