New Netflix docuseries features Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders

A new Netflix docuseries is out this week about the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, an elite squad with highly coveted spots and millions of fans.

The big picture: The director of " Cheer ," which followed Navarro College cheerleaders for two seasons, is back with " America's Sweethearts ," which showcases what it's like to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

• Cameras followed the 2023-24 squad from auditions to training camp to the end of the NFL season.

Why it matters: "You could argue they're the No. 1 group of professional cheerleaders in the world, and I'm not even sure who's second," director and executive producer Greg Whiteley said in a statement.

How it happened: Charlotte Jones, Jerry Jones' daughter and the Dallas Cowboys' executive vice president and chief brand officer, reached out to Whiteley about the possibility of a series on the team's cheerleaders.

• "I knew the Cowboys were a very large brand and that they were going to be protective of it," Whiteley said.
• But Charlotte Jones was willing to grant the crew the creative control they needed. The two parties worked together to balance the cheerleaders' comfort in private spaces like the locker room and the need to capture their story arc.

The intrigue: The process of becoming a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader is tedious. It includes an application and several rounds of auditions, concluding with a training camp that helps select the final squad.

• Contenders are evaluated on "beauty, talent, charm and personality," Kelli Finglass, director of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, tells Axios.

Plus: It only gets tougher. Cheerleaders featured in the docuseries tell Axios they don't get much time off during the season.

• "You need to look like a supermodel but perform like an athlete," a squad member says on the show's teaser .
• Many of them also work other jobs or are in college.

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