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Most NFL teams have cheerleaders.

Something is loading. Read also : Indiana cheerleaders come to the rescue when the ball gets stuck between the backboard and the shot clock.

You see them on the sidelines during games and sometimes during halftime.

Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you’re on the go. On the same subject : Ready to change your life? Eagles Cheerleader auditions due Saturday.

Looks like they’re having fun, right?

You’ve probably seen NFL cheerleaders on the sidelines, or maybe during halftime at an NFL game. This may interest you : LaVerne E. Wagner. But have you ever wondered what their job is really like?

But recent reports of harassment, lack of compensation, and gender discrimination has shined a light on the treatment of cheerleaders in the NFL…

Reports of harassment, lack of compensation, and recent discrimination have shed light on the treatment of cheerleaders in the NFL.

But to get a better sense of what the job is really like, Business Insider spoke with four former NFL cheerleaders, who spoke candidly about the questions around compensation, social media, and rules about interaction with players that are causing controversy across the league.

…leading us to wonder what being an NFL cheerleader is really like.

The women we spoke to seemed to have very positive experiences being cheerleaders.

It all started back in 1954 when the Baltimore Colts became the first team to have cheerleaders.

You see them on the sidelines during games and sometimes at halftime.

Since then, getting a highly-coveted spot on the squad has become super competitive.

Looks like they’re having fun, right?

Every year, thousands of women audition for a spot on an NFL cheerleading squad.

Some make it…

…and many don’t.

But recent reports of harassment, lack of compensation, and gender discrimination have highlighted the treatment of cheerleaders in the NFL…

A spot on the squad is a paid position and is officially considered to be part-time.

Sources: The New York Times, USA Today, and The Guardian

And each NFL team gets to decide how much its cheerleaders are paid and what kind of guidelines and rules they must follow.

… makes us wonder what an NFL cheerleader is really like.

Not only do the cheerleaders have to be on-hand for each game…

It all started in 1954 when the Baltimore Colts became the first team to have cheerleaders.

…they also have to show up for mandatory appearances and practices.

Since then, earning the highly coveted spot in the squad has become highly competitive.

But as it turns out, they’re not always getting properly compensated for their time and effort.

Every year, thousands of women audition for a spot on the NFL’s cheerleading squad.

In 2014, the Oakland Raiders paid a $1.25 million dollar settlement to former cheerleaders after a class action lawsuit alleging wage theft.

Places in the squad are paid positions and are officially considered part-time.

Cheerleaders with the Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the New York Jets have also brought wage lawsuits against their teams.

And every NFL team has to decide how much its cheerleaders are paid and what kind of guidelines and rules they have to follow.

Some Cheerleaders in the NFL reportedly make between $75 and $150 a game and $50 an hour for special appearances, but the pay is not standardized across the industry.

Not only do cheerleaders have to be on hand for every game…

Sharon Vinick, an attorney who worked on the 2014 class action lawsuit against the Raiders, said women felt intimidated to speak up for themselves.

…they also have to be present for mandatory appearances and rehearsals.

“The women are told that they’re really, really fortunate to be dancing, and if they don’t want to dance, they don’t have to,” Vinick told Business Insider.

However, they are not always properly compensated for their time and effort.

“But compare that to the guys who are the quarterbacks. I mean, they’re very lucky to be quarterbacks, but they’re still paid millions of dollars,” she said.

In 2014, the Oakland Raiders paid a $1.25 million dollar settlement to a former cheerleader following a class action lawsuit alleging wage theft.

Twin sisters Dresdynn and Schuyler Warnell, who both cheered for the Houston Texans from 2010 to 2014, said they were paid about $200 a game, plus compensation for travel expenses, practices, and appearances.

Cheerleaders with the Cincinnati Bengals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets have also filed lawsuits against their teams.

They said overall they had a positive experience while on the Texans squad.

Some Cheerleaders in the NFL reportedly earn between $75 and $150 per game and $50 per hour for special appearances, but pay is not standardized across the industry.

But their pay is more than the $1,250 Oakland Raider cheerleaders, known as Raiderettes, made a season.

Sharon Vinick, an attorney who handled the 2014 class action lawsuit against the Raiders, says women feel intimidated to speak up for themselves.

For comparison, Vinick said reports suggest that mascots make an estimated $40,000 to $60,000 per season, plus benefits.

“Women are told that they are really lucky to be able to dance, and if they don’t want to dance, they don’t have to,” Vinick told Business Insider.

And the least-played NFL team member, or a “benchwarmer” who doesn’t play in games, gets paid $100,000.

“But compare it to the guys who are quarterbacks. I mean, they’re very lucky to be quarterbacks, but they still get paid millions of dollars,” he said.

“$1,250 is less money than someone who’s selling hot dogs in the stands gets paid,” Vinick said.

Twins Dresdynn and Schuyler Warnell, who together cheered for the Houston Texans from 2010 to 2014, say they are paid about $200 per game, plus compensation for travel, practice and appearance expenses.

It’s definitely not a salary you can live off of, said Jennifer Omohundro who cheered for the Tennessee Titans before joining the Atlanta Falcons in the early 2000s.

They said overall they had a positive experience while in the Texans.

She said what she made was “definitely minimal,” but despite the low pay, cheering was “a wonderful experience” for her.

But their salary was over $1,250. The Oakland Raider cheerleaders, known as the Raiderettes, made one season.

The same goes for Rachel Swartz, who cheered for the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2015 and 2016 seasons and found the experience to be “empowering.”

By comparison, Vinick says reports show mascots make around $40,000 to $60,000 per season, plus profits.

“It is really unfortunate to hear a lot of the other stories about women who have not had the same positive experience I had,” Swartz said.

And the least-played member of the NFL team, or “bench warmer” who doesn’t play in a game, gets paid $100,000.

NFL cheerleading squads also have a number of rules to follow.

“$1,250 less money than someone who sells hot dogs at a kiosk is paid to be,” says Vinick.

So strict, in fact, that a former New Orleans Saints cheerleader was fired over an Instagram photo of her wearing a one-piece outfit.

This is definitely not a salary you can live with, says Jennifer Omohundro who cheered for the Tennessee Titans before joining the Atlanta Falcons in the early 2000s.

Swartz said she and her fellow Eagles cheerleaders did not have Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook accounts. “We weren’t allowed to have any of those, and that was mainly for our protection,” she said.

She says what she makes is “very minimal”, but that despite her low salary, cheering is an “amazing experience” for her.

“Even though they run past us on the field, sometimes that would be the only time we were really around them,” Omohundro said. “I mean, they’re professionals, they’re doing their thing as athletes, and we were doing ours.”

The same goes for Rachel Swartz, who cheered for the Philadelphia Eagles for the 2015 and 2016 seasons and found the experience “empowering.”

But off the field, the cheerleaders are required to maintain their distance from players.

“It’s really unfortunate to hear so many other stories about women who didn’t have the same positive experiences I had,” Swartz said.

“They would even go as far as saying if, say, you’re at a restaurant and a couple of the players come in, we would have to leave because they don’t even want us in the same room,” Dresdynn Warnell said.

NFL cheerleading squads also have a number of rules they must follow.

“We will get fired and they won’t,” said Schuyler Warnell.

So tight, in fact, that the former New Orleans Saints cheerleader was fired over an Instagram photo of her wearing a one-piece.

Some NFL cheerleaders said they were held to strict weight standards as well. Some said they were made to jump to see if their flesh jiggled or suspended if they were ever more than three pounds outside of their ideal weight.

Swartz said he and his fellow Eagles cheerleaders do not have Instagram, Twitter or Facebook accounts. “We’re not allowed to have them, and it’s primarily for our protection,” he said.

“Even though they run past us on the pitch, sometimes it’s the only time we’re really around them,” says Omohundro. “I mean, they’re professionals, they’re doing their job as athletes, and we’re doing ours.”

One former Houston Texans cheerleader sued the team after she said her coach called her “skinny fat” and duct taped parts of her skin during games to make her body appear firmer.

But off the field, the cheerleaders are required to keep their distance from the players.

“They’ll even say if, say, you’re in a restaurant and some players come in, we have to leave because they don’t even want us to be in the same room,” said Dresdynn Warnell. .

In addition to making appearances, cheerleaders are sometimes expected to interact with fans at games…

“We’d be fired and they wouldn’t,” said Schuyler Warnell.

…which can sometimes include unsavory encounters.

Some NFL cheerleaders say they have strict weight standards too. Some say they were made to jump to see if their flesh swayed or hung if they were ever over three pounds their ideal weight.

Overall, the cheerleaders Business Insider spoke to said their teams did a good job of making sure they felt safe.

Sources: The Guardian and Business Insider

And, overall, the women we talked to seemed to have experiences that were overwhelmingly positive. “I really felt empowered by the entire experience,” Swartz said.

One former Houston Texans cheerleader sued the team after she said her coach called her “skinny fat” and taped parts of her skin during games to make her body appear firmer.

But every team is different, and only time will tell if the ones under scrutiny will actually change for the better.

Why do Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders make so little?

Rosa is involved in two lawsuits which also include claims that the Houston Texas cheerleader was not paid minimum wage or overtime. Gary has resigned.

In addition to performing, cheerleaders are sometimes expected to interact with fans at games…

… which occasionally includes unpleasant encounters.

Overall, the Business Insider cheerleaders say their team is doing a great job making sure they feel safe.