The Price of Passion: Modest Paychecks of CFL Cheerleaders

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While in the US, cheerleading often symbolizes the glitzy world of the National Football League (NFL), Canada has its own Canadian Football League (CFL). It has been almost 70 years since the CFL started playing. Even if it has not flourished on the scale of the NFL, it is well-liked and well-watched in the local area.

This article will uncover the CFL cheerleader salary and why many of them pursue other area careers. But let’s first define who CFL cheerleaders are.

Cheer, Dance, Repeat: What We Should Know About the CFL Cheerleaders

Cheerleading is a creative, high-energy, athletic show. The cheerleaders’ routines are professionally planned, and they must be extremely well-conditioned to perform 5–8 times each day.

Cheerleading has its roots in 19th-century Britain and spread widely in the United States. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it became an important part of athletic events. The concept gained appeal in Canada when CFL teams began to implement cheer squads, starting in the 1970s, which adopted the model of the NFL.

Usually, there are about 15 to 30 members on a CFL cheerleading team, some more and some less. For example, the Montreal Alouettes have employed 16 dancers on their stunt team, and so on. Most cheerleading squads are co-ed, with female cheerleaders comprising the majority. What do they mostly do?

The CFL cheerleading mixes some dance, some gymnastics, and the usual traditional elements. Usually lasting one to three minutes, the performances are set to popular music. The routines all work to rile the audience and unite the football team during tense moments.

CFL cheerleader salary

CFL cheerleaders became a big part of the game-day experience, cheering on the teams and entertaining the audience with flamboyant dances and stunning stunts. This presence brought energy and passion to the athletic activities, making them more entertaining to fans and players.

Young girls who are just considering a career in cheerleading often wonder, “How much do CFL cheerleaders make? Typically, CFL performers receive somewhere between $50 and $150 per game, based on the team, location, and experience. But we’ll talk more about this in the next chapter.

The Wage Gap between CFL Players and Cheerleaders

There are many commonalities between football players and cheerleaders. Both groups consist of highly talented athletes performing amazing feats with power and dexterity in front of adoring fans. But players are the ones who are paid for their time.

Compared to the NFL, the wage gap isn’t huge for the CFL. Canadian players start at $50,000 a year, with the chance to make hundreds of thousands. Meanwhile, CFL cheerleaders, who work hard and are required to spend several hours per week rehearsing and then for hours on the field, are largely volunteers.

How much do cheerleaders make? Based on experience, there are two types of cheerleaders:

senior (usually with 2–3 years of experience cheerleading or dancing);
amateur (often beginners or just a few months of training).

Let us look at the approximate income chart for each category together:

Category	Per match fees	All-star match fees	Yearly earnings
Senior cheerleaders	$350	$1,500	$8,300
Amateur cheerleaders	$50	NA	$1,500

For those who didn’t know, the CFL consists of nine teams divided into two divisions: four in the East Division and five in the West Division. Every team has a group of cheerleaders who cheer for them at away and home matches.

Sadly, these talented cheerleaders only get a meager $350 per match wage for their non-stop hard work and support of the Canadian Football League. Some professional cheerleaders can sign a contract with individual teams. Have 2 or 3 seasons of cheerleading experience? Earn up to $8,000 per year!

And don’t forget the fact that cheerleaders take classes in gymnastics, dance, and aerobics (around $100–$200 per month) and spend money on pompoms, uniforms ($150–$300 per set), and shoes. They have to pay for gym memberships, haircuts, makeup and tanning. Have you ever calculated how much all of that costs over a season?

Is Being a CFL Cheerleader Worth It?

As you already know, cheerleading is a dynamic part of the game-day experience. Do CFL cheerleaders get paid? Yes, but unlike players on the field, some CFL cheerleaders receive minimal (or nothing) in return for all their hard work. Plus, they can make money by appearing at events, but the amount paid to a certain performer can vary widely depending on the team.

The salary for CFL cheerleaders is often viewed as a part-time job rather than a full-time profession. Many of them pursue a profession in another field and still be part of CFL cheerleading only for the love of performance and team spirit.

Yes, the pay may be paltry, but the position of a CFL cheerleader is a unique experience, offering a lot of opportunities in the Canadian football community.