Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

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Lore & Background

The squad was formed in 1970 when general manager Tex Schramm decided to change the cheerleaders' image to boost attendance. The main change was to create an all-female squad and change the uniforms and style of cheerleading routines to be primarily dance and less traditional acrobatic routines. Ten local high school cheerleaders were selected for the 1970 season and were involved in redesigning the uniforms and creating new dance style cheer routines under Dee Brock's direction. In 1971, qualification rules changed to allow high school drill team officers to compete. In 1972, choreographer Texie Waterman was recruited to audition and train an entirely new female squad over 18 years of age, which allowed a more revealing uniform (transitioning from skirts to hot pants). The squad gained national attention in 1977 with the first NFL cheerleader poster and TV specials. The made-for-TV movie Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders aired on January 14, 1979.

In Their Own Story

In January 1979, just one week before Super Bowl XIII, a made-for-TV movie titled "Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders" aired starring Bert Convy and Jane Seymour. It captured a staggering 48% share of the national television audience, cementing the squad's status as pop culture icons. The late 1970s saw the team frequently called the "Dallas Cowgirls," though a legal battle ensued in 1983 when two former members attempted to form a separate company by that name and were sued by the DCC. Over the decades, the group expanded their reach through USO tours beginning in the 1979 holiday season for troops in South Korea, and appearances on shows like "The Love Boat" and WrestleMania events.

Reader's Guide

The DCC has toured throughout the United States and overseas, including regular USO tours beginning during the 1979 holiday season. They held a ceremony inaugurating the second game of the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Former DCCs Kelli McGonagill Finglass and Judy Trammell became the squad's director and choreographer, respectively. From 2006 to 2021, the Cheerleaders produced the reality series Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team on CMT. A new series, America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, aired on Netflix on June 20, 2024. The DCC also held opening ceremonies at the 2013, 2018, 2021, and 2023 United States Grands Prix races in Austin, Texas. They received the FIFA delegation to promote the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They release several calendars every year, including a swimsuit calendar and a sideline calendar.

Did You Know?

• The squad was inspired by performer Bubbles Cash, who attracted attention at a 1967 Cowboys game while carrying cotton candy.
• The 1972 squad was the first to consist entirely of adults over 18, allowing more revealing uniforms.
• The made-for-TV movie Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders aired on January 14, 1979, one week before Super Bowl XIII.
• The DCC began USO tours during the 1979 holiday season for U.S. troops in South Korea.
• The documentary Daughters of the Sexual Revolution: The Untold Story of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders was released in November 2018.