...although the NFL is awash in money, none goes to the cheerleaders, who are paid $50 to $100 per game or so and nothing for rehearsing -- the Broncos cheerleaders, for example, rehearse 10 hours per week. In most cases, NFL cheerleaders don't receive anything when they perform at business promotions or undress for cheer-babe calendars, or when their images are used in national advertising. Gorgeous women dancing half-naked is not exploitation if that's their choice, plus, you're supposed to look at the cheerleaders! But using someone's image in corporate promotion or advertising without paying her a fee is exploitation all the way.
Reader Jacob Robinson of Eyota, Minn., points out what looks like the latest instance of economic exploitation of cheerleaders: "The NFL.com shop now sells unframed gameday pictures of cheer-babes for $50 or more. Is the NFL giving the cheerleaders a portion of the sale revenue? I bet not."
That's wack.
Ugh. That's shitty. It seems like some sort of union or other organization, organized strike, and a few good agents could set things right for those girls. Maybe they just do it for the exposure (no pun intended)?
Posted by: Steve Calderon | 09/28/2010 at 07:46 PM