Cheerleaders aren’t allowed to forget their pom-poms or any other element of their outfit. If a cheerleader forgets one essential item, she faces a fine.
This rule is somewhat sensible, but it’s also costly. The cheerleaders have so many items to remember that they’re bound to forget something every now and then. Considering their pay is so abysmally low, hefty fines on top of all their other expenses make it a financial burden to be a cheerleader.
They Can’t Bring the Wrong Pom-Poms
Pom-poms are the primary accessory of all cheerleaders. However, cheerleaders in the NFL have more than one set of pom-poms that match their different outfits for the games. While that might get confusing, the teams don’t react kindly if the cheerleaders get their pom-poms mixed up.
If cheerleaders bring the wrong pom-poms to the game, they face a fine. For cheerleaders, a simple mistake could end up being a costly one.
They Must Polish Their Boots Before Games
Cheerleaders can incur quite a few nasty fines on game day. Beyond bringing the right pom-poms, the women on the Oakland Raiderettes are also required to polish their boots before every game.
If the cheer director determines that the boots haven’t been polished enough, the woman at fault will have to pay yet another fine. She may also be banned from cheering on that particular day.
They Can Lose Their Pay For Forgetting Something
Sometimes a fine is the best thing that can happen to a forgetful cheerleader. If one of the women forgets any part of her outfit, no matter how small, the director of the team can dock her entire day’s pay.
The cheerleader may still be required to perform, but she won’t receive anything for her efforts. Apparently, being forgetful isn’t even a remote possibility in the NFL.
They Have to Show Up to Unpaid Events
In general, cheerleaders are paid almost nothing. In fact, one study found that cheerleaders make less than anyone in the football stadium, including the vendors selling hot dogs. Beyond those low wages, however, cheerleaders are also required to show up to events where they don’t get paid at all.
At times, the NFL will schedule appearances and other events where cheerleaders are required to attend. Sometimes they receive no money at all for these events, but will still face consequences if they can’t be there.