Dating rules and who's in charge: What you need to know about being a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader.

It's no secret that America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders has taken the world by storm. Since the docuseries hit Netflix in June, it's been sitting pretty in the streaming giant's Top 10 list, and for good reason.

The docuseries lifts the curtain on the realities of being an NFL cheerleader. As viewers, we get to see just how much effort these women put into realising their dreams of becoming a DCC team member, from the strict rules they have to follow, to the physical demands of being a professional cheerleader, and the shocking salary they take home after all that hard work.

If you can't get enough Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders details, read on for everything you need to know about what it means to be in the team.

Watch the trailer for America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Post continues after video.

How many Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are there?

DCC team candidates at bootcamp. Image: Netflix. 

There are 36 Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders selected for the team each year. Considering auditions are open to not only US citizens but the world, competition is fierce for one of only a handful of coveted spots.

How tall are Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders?

You wouldn't be blamed for thinking there were rules about the women's stature when it comes to getting picked for the DCC. 

In America's Sweethearts, we saw DCC-hopeful Ariana McClure get cut during auditions because she "wasn't tall enough" to meet the standards set by Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer, Charlotte Jones.

While McClure, 157cm tall, has since realised her NFL cheerleading dreams as an official Miami Dolphins cheerleader, many were left wondering what the height requirement for the team actually is.

As it turns out, there isn't an official height restriction for Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders. Rather, their FAQ page states that cheerleaders "should look well-proportioned in dancewear".

"We DO NOT have specific height and weight requirements," the page adds.

Ariana McCure scored a spot on the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders team. Image: Instagram/@arimcclure 

Can Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders only do five years?

America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders gives the impression that there's a five-year time limit on being a team member. As it turns out, this isn't a set rule.

As we see in the show, the DCC are required to audition for their place on the team each year, even after they've initially made the team. Many cheerleaders will hang up their pom-poms after the five-year mark, but as former DCC team member Katherine Puryear said in a recent TikTok video, it's a matter of "personal preference", and in fact, they're free to keep auditioning beyond five years.

Puryear said that many cheerleaders would weigh the decision to leave or continue auditioning based on factors like how much they'd accomplished during their time on the team and how their body was handling the physical stress of performing.

"Five years is just [kind of the maximum] that we allow ourselves because we can't keep going on forever and ever," she explained. "It's kind of like an unwritten rule for ourselves."

How much do Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders get paid?

"I would say I’m making… like a Chick-fil-A worker who works full time," former Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Kat Puryear said early on in the Netflix series. But just how much is that?

Well, NBC Sports Boston reports that Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders earn around $500 USD ($753 AUD) per game, and that figure is actually much higher than the average NFL cheerleader. Generally, NFL cheerleaders earn around $150 USD ($226 AUD) a game.

It's been one of the more controversial talking points to come out of America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, as this figure means that for a full season on the team, a DCC team member will take home about $10,000 USD ($15,000 AUD).

Cheerleaders are also prohibited from supplementing their income with any sponsored content on social media. They can, however, make extra money via DCC-approved public appearances (think school visits, corporate events, charity functions), which pay around $50 to $75 USD ($73 to $113 AUD) per event, the publication reports.

For this reason, many Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders hold part-time or full-time jobs while also on the team.

Can Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have tattoos?

While there's no rule officially preventing DCC team members from having tattoos, they cannot be visible when in uniform or rehearsal attire. And as you may have noticed, their uniforms don't cover a lot of their bodies. 

The DCC FAQ page states that "even the smallest of tattoos may not be visible", and suggests finding good tattoo coverage products.

Can Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders date players?

So many of us grew up watching those American high school movies where the stereotype of the perfect teen couple was the head cheerleader dating the school quarterback, right? In reality, though, DCC team members aren't allowed to date Dallas Cowboys footballers at all. 

Dreams: dashed.

Why can't DCC date players?

The DCC team has a strict "no fraternising with players" policy while they're on the squad. In fact, a former cheerleader told Inside Edition that not only was dating the players off limits, they also "couldn't even be around the players".

Once a DCC has retired from the team, however, they're free to date Dallas Cowboys footballers. Likewise, if a Dallas Cowboys player has retired, he will be free to date one of the team's cheerleaders.

Listen to The Quicky's episode on the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Post continues below.

Who runs Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders?

Kerri Finglass from the DCC previously said they like to keep consistent heights for the kick line. Image: Netfli

Kelli Finglass is the current Director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. She's featured extensively throughout America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on Netflix, and previously, she was featured on Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.

Finglass was a DCC member from 1984 to 1989, and notably, she was the first cheerleader in the team's history to be asked back without having to re-audition for her spot.

After hanging up her pom-poms in 1989, Finglass accepted a position in the sales and promotions department for the squad. In 1991, she was promoted to Director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, and has been in the role ever since.

Are Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders the best? 

While whether the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are "the best" is subjective, the team is certainly one of the most famous, popular and notable cheerleading squads in the world.

The DCC have a long and prestigious history in the field, and are renowned for their skill, athleticism, and performances. Beyond that, the team has cemented its place in pop culture, not just with docuseries' America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team, but with self-titled, made-for-TV movies, appearances on talk shows, and by their extensive media coverage, merchandise and more.

America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders is streaming on Netflix now.

Continue reading about Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: 

• Where are the cast of Netflix's America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders now?
• This is the most prestigious thing you can do in cheerleading but all anyone can talk about is their pay.
• '10 infuriating thoughts I had while watching America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders on Netflix.'
• Jinelle Esther was at the peak of Australian cheerleading. Then she joined the Dallas Cowboys.
• Lack of respect and minimal pay: What it's really like to be an NRL cheerleader.
• Victoria is the breakout star of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. After filming, she quit the team.
• The biggest scandals that have rocked the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
  
• Reece Weaver was the breakout rookie of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Here's what happened next.
  
• 'I had to stop watching the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders doco after the third episode.'
• Where are the cast of Netflix's America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders now?
  
• Kelcey became a fan favourite on Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Here's why she quit the team.
  
• Ariana was told she was 'too short' for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Then she got a call.
• No underwear and no gum.’ Every intense rule the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have to follow.

Feature image: Netflix.

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