Cheerleaders for professional sports teams in California will have to be classified as employees eligible for overtime, sick days and other protections under a bill signed Wednesday by Governor Jerry Brown.
The bill was introduced amid controversy raised by a lawsuit against the Oakland Raiders that culminated in the football team's agreement to pay a settlement of $1.25 million to 90 members of the cheerleading squad.
"We would never tolerate shortchanging of women workers at any other workplace. An NFL game should be no different," Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, a Democrat from San Diego who authored the bill, said Wednesday.
A former high school and college cheerleader, Gonzalez said in a news release that the bill would ensure that "multi-billion dollar sports teams treat cheerleaders with the same dignity and respect as every other employee."
Backers of the California bill cited the Raiders suit, in which cheerleaders complained that they were considered independent contractors, receiving a small fee for a year's worth of work with no guarantee of minimum wage, overtime, sick leave or benefits.
The cheerleaders alleged that they were treated like employees, with many hours of practice required for their dance routines and numerous performances throughout the year. Similar lawsuits have been filed against other teams.
The NFL said in an emailed statement that it urges all teams to abide by state and federal employment law. The league did not take a stand on the bill.
The new law applies to cheerleaders working with all professional teams based in California, at both the major league and minor league levels. It does not apply to performers who appear just once per year or are not affiliated with a team.
The measure will become law on Jan. 1, 2016.
__________________
LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I actually hope this gets passed in all the states. They should be paid in accordance with law. I've long felt it wrong that the NFL uses these women and pays them a pittance because they should just be happy to have the "honor" of cheering for the team.
__________________
LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I actually hope this gets passed in all the states. They should be paid in accordance with law. I've long felt it wrong that the NFL uses these women and pays them a pittance because they should just be happy to have the "honor" of cheering for the team.
Totally agree. I'm not a fan of minimum wage, but since it's the law, they should follow it.
__________________
America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
I think they are making a mistake. Much better to be a 1099er instead of W2.
How? Being an independant contractor meant they only got paid for showing up for games, not for any of the hours of required practice. And as employees, the NFL will have to contribute to their employment taxes. This is not thier full time job - so I don't know how it would be better.
__________________
LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
The Titans cheerleaders make $75 a game. Period. They are not paid for mandatory appearances, practices, anything other than the $75 a game. So they make about $750 a year. Hardly worth the "advantage" of a 1099er.
__________________
America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
Each team pays their cheerleaders different amounts. The Seattle Seahawks pay $10 an hour plus overtime, Time says. But most teams pay a flat per-game rate. The San Diego Chargers pay $75 per home game; the Baltimore Ravens pay $100 and the Dallas Cowboys pay $150, The Atlantic reported. The Oakland Raiders pay $125 per game, which works out $1,250 for each season.
__________________
America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
Yeah, they need to be paid more. Most of these ladies have regular jobs in addition to the cheering. They put a lot of hours into the routines and appearances.
Good. Cheering is as much a sport/athletic as any other.
They should get paid for it.
__________________
A flock of flirting flamingos is pure, passionate, pink pandemonium-a frenetic flamingle-mangle-a discordant discotheque of delirious dancing, flamboyant feathers, and flamingo lingo.
Honestly, I would rather them do away with pro cheerleaders. They really aren't "cheerleaders". Not like HS and College. Never seen them lead a cheer yet. A lot of teams don't have them and do just fine...like the Packers and the Steelers...
__________________
America guarantees equal opportunity, not equal outcome...
Good. Cheering is as much a sport/athletic as any other.
They should get paid for it.
Some cheerleading is an athletic sport. There are some amazing cheer/dance/acrobatic teams. Most NFL cheerleaders aren't doing pyramids and backflips, etc.
The Titans cheerleaders make $75 a game. Period. They are not paid for mandatory appearances, practices, anything other than the $75 a game. So they make about $750 a year. Hardly worth the "advantage" of a 1099er.
Well, then they are getting paid exactly what they are worth, minimum wage. Why not create your own niche. If you had an amazing group of cheerleaders, they might be able to command more.
I guess I am saying that they should be looking for other opportunities and ways to make themselves of value to the team by providing some unique skills or whatever, that people want. If they can, they could make way MORE than minimum wage. They are missing the point which is to take something that can be entrepenuerial and make a market out of it. Instead, they want to focus their energy on getting $7 an hour. They would be better off getting focusing their energy on getting the crème of the crop squad and finding someone to fund them in a way that would allow them showcase their talents. And, possibly there could be a market for that. OR not, and if not, then yeah it's just a $7 an hour job.
I guess I am saying that they should be looking for other opportunities and ways to make themselves of value to the team by providing some unique skills or whatever, that people want. If they can, they could make way MORE than minimum wage. They are missing the point which is to take something that can be entrepenuerial and make a market out of it. Instead, they want to focus their energy on getting $7 an hour. They would be better off getting focusing their energy on getting the crème of the crop squad and finding someone to fund them in a way that would allow them showcase their talents. And, possibly there could be a market for that. OR not, and if not, then yeah it's just a $7 an hour job.
Gaga - this is a sideline for them. They just want to cheer.
__________________
LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
I guess I am saying that they should be looking for other opportunities and ways to make themselves of value to the team by providing some unique skills or whatever, that people want. If they can, they could make way MORE than minimum wage. They are missing the point which is to take something that can be entrepenuerial and make a market out of it. Instead, they want to focus their energy on getting $7 an hour. They would be better off getting focusing their energy on getting the crème of the crop squad and finding someone to fund them in a way that would allow them showcase their talents. And, possibly there could be a market for that. OR not, and if not, then yeah it's just a $7 an hour job.
Gaga - this is a sideline for them. They just want to cheer.
__________________
LawyerLady
I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you.
The Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders ARE the cream of the crop who have made tons of money for the team off of calendars, appearances, etc. And THEY can't even command the highest pay per game in the league. So your suggestion falls flat in reality Gaga. People will line up across the country for a meet and greet with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Not many people across the country care about the San Diego Chargers cheerleaders.
__________________
Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite !
The Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders ARE the cream of the crop who have made tons of money for the team off of calendars, appearances, etc. And THEY can't even command the highest pay per game in the league. So your suggestion falls flat in reality Gaga. People will line up across the country for a meet and greet with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Not many people across the country care about the San Diego Chargers cheerleaders.
Because in reality, there is no real demand for what they do. That isn't anybody's fault, it just is what it is. If people really thought that they wanted to see cheerleaders and they would be an important part of the game, then they could command more money. But, have they really thought about how to market their cheerleaders? Dallas did at least try to bring them to the forefront. What if they were more interactive with fans. Greeting fans as they came in ? Or having an area to snap photos with them? Or why don't this group then go about the country holding cheerleading camps? Elena Delle Donne who is DD's fave WNBA player holds basketball camps all over and we drove to Delaware to attend her camp. My point is that maybe the ones they have arent' really that good. Maybe they just have double DDD knockers and not much talent. Fine, if that is the team they want to field. But, if they wanted to bring in highly skilled competitive style cheerleaders, they are out there. And, they could find a niche market and earn money beyond minimum wage if marketed right.
They do all those things you mentioned. My DD attended a Cowboy cheerleader camp when she was in high school. And they do photo ops all the time....
Yes. Exactly. And yet the DCC can't even command the highest fee per game - even though they have created a demand for their services and expertise beyond the traditional game. So the model Gaga suggests is flawed because the team will pay the women as little as they can get away with.
__________________
Out of all the lies I have told, "just kidding" is my favorite !
They do all those things you mentioned. My DD attended a Cowboy cheerleader camp when she was in high school. And they do photo ops all the time....
Yes. Exactly. And yet the DCC can't even command the highest fee per game - even though they have created a demand for their services and expertise beyond the traditional game. So the model Gaga suggests is flawed because the team will pay the women as little as they can get away with.
The model is not flawed. The reality is that they don't bring the value to the game that would entice people to pay for them. So, it is what it is. Now, a SMART business owner is usually looking for ways to make their venue stand out from all the others. A smart business owner would want to bring in talent if it brings in the fans and boosts sales. So, either it does, and they are all so rich they don't care or it really doesn't. It's not a "flawed" model if you are selling something people don't really want.
