How much do the la clippers dancers make

How Much Do The L.A. Clippers Dancers Make? This Squad Is Full Of Hard Workers

Entertainment

by Kayla Hawkins

March 17, 2016

E!'s newest reality show, L.A. Clippers Dance Squad, has brought the awesome NBA dancers into a much-deserved spotlight, but that spotlight is also prompting people to ask some serious questions about the squad. For example, how much do the L.A. Clippers dancers get paid? Exact figures aren't publicly available, but it appears to be unlikely that the dancers are paid in the millions the way many players on the court are.

According to a 2000 Sports Illustrated report, some of the dance teams were allegedly paid as little as the local minimum wage over decade ago. In 2015, former Milwaukee Bucks dancer Lauren Herington sued her team over salary issues, the New York Times reported. She claimed, "the flat fees she received — $65 for games, $30 for practices and $50 for special appearances — translated to an average hourly wage of $5. " Jake Suski, a spokesman for the team, denied those figures. "The lawsuit presents inaccurate information that creates a false picture of how we operate,” Suski wrote in an email to the New York Times. “The Bucks value the contributions our dancers make to the team. We treat all of our employees fairly, including our Bucks dancers, and pay them fairly and in compliance with federal and state law.”

In California, home of the Clippers, a law was passed in 2015 ensuring that cheerleaders and dancers are paid at least minimum wage. In August 2015, after the minimum wage bill had been approved by the governor in July 2015, Jezebel writer Tess Barker wrote a piece after going undercover at a L.A. Clippers Dance Squad audition in hopes of finding out how much these women are paid. While Barker was never able to get a straight answer from anyone about the financial details, she claims that she heard Audrea Harris, the team director, allegedly saying, "We do pay you. It’s not much. But we do pay you. ... You’ll have to have a second job. All these girls have second jobs. Or they’re in school. Or both."

Bustle reached out to the Clippers dance team for comment on their performers' pay as well as Harris' alleged comments, but has not yet received a reply.

The details about how much money the members of the team make were not be available until the final rounds of auditions, according to Barker's piece. Since LA Clippers Dance Squad will begin while the team is still auditioning, I wonder if the salary information will be a part of the show. I know the series is meant to show how hard these dancers work in order to prepare for their performances and how much they love being a part of the LA Clippers organization, so I'm not expecting it to focus much on the financials behind things, though that would be a refreshing addition to celebrating their hard work in an often underrated position.

But, additionally, it could be interesting to see what these women do while trying to follow their passions even when it might not pay an exorbitant amount. It's a relatable struggle, particularly for artists and performers. Hopefully the show will help the women get the recognition they deserve while also dispelling any unfair criticisms of these squads that take the court at halftime and work so hard.

Image: Tommy Garcia/E! Entertainment

NBA 21/22 season: How much does a cheerleader earn?

Cheerleaders have become part and parcel of NBA games, but they are not quite like the cheerleaders who take part in competitions, participating in difficult athletic routines that involve tumbling and complex, dangerous sequences.

NBA cheerleaders are basically attractive dancers in skimpy outfits who provide entertainment and cheer the team on during games or represent the team in events.

While the men on the teams they represent earn millions of dollars a year, the best-paid women on the floor are lucky to earn a few hundreds per appearance.

The demands on an NBA cheerleader

These cheerleaders need to have dancing skills, and be familiar with contemporary hip hop, Zumba, and belly dancing. They also have to be physically fit to be able to cope with the rigors of rehearsals and performances, and of course, to look good in their revealing uniforms. Reports indicate that some of them have been pressured to lose weight and comply with weight restrictions.

They put in hours of practice to perfect their dance routines, and they also need to have a flexible schedule as they need to be present for events to promote the team.

Cheerleaders' cheerless pay

According to an ESPN report in 2017, NBA cheerleaders earn between $75 to $150 per game. Not bad for a few hours of work, you would think, especially when you compare it to the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Peanuts though, if you compare it to the people they are sharing the court with.

The pay has increased a little since then, maybe as a result of lawsuits filed by former cheerleaders regarding their low salary. The first lawsuit by an NBA cheerleader for low pay was filed in 2015 by Lauren Herrington against the Milwaukee Bucks, which the team settled. There have also been similar cases filed by NFL cheerleaders.

Headline: "NBA Cheerleader Files Lawsuit Against Basketball Team for Alleged Low Pay." At $65 per game, there's nothing alleged about it.
— Ben Bolch (@latbbolch) October 28, 2015

Professional basketball dancers these days get paid between $200 and $650 per game, with bonuses if their team makes it to the playoffs. Some perks include free tickets and free arena parking.

The highest paid NBA dance squads

The best paid cheerleaders work for the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks, with a rate of $650 per match and a bonus of $2,000. This comes out to around $35,000 a year.

Next on the list are the women who dance for the LA Lakers and the Boston Celtics. They pocket $600 a game with a $1.500 bonus. The annual rate is approximately $30,000.

Among the lowest-paying squads are the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, and Phoenix Suns, with a payout of $200 per game and a $700 bonus, for a total of some $15,000 per year.

Cheerleaders’ salaries are highly unlikely to go anywhere near the pay of the players that they are cheering on. (After all, Kyrie Irving can apparently afford to miss out on around $200 million for his decision to remain unvaccinated.)

But they can at least continue to use the courts (the ones used for legal matters, that is) to push the bar a little way up and sue for the pay that they believe they deserve.

Clippers - NBA Salaries - Blogs

NBA Salaries

Blog

Season 22/23 Salary Cap - 123.7m, Threshold - 1501m3

Player	2022/23	2023/24	2024/25	2025/26	2026/27
Kawhi Leonard	42. 5 million	45.6 million	48.8 million
Paul George	42.5 million	45.6 million	48.8 million
Norman Powell	16.8 million	18.0 million	19.2 million	20.5 million
Marcus Morris	16.4 million	17.1 million
Luke Kennard	14.4 million	15.4 million	15.4 million
Robert Covington	12. 3 million	11.7 million
Reggie Jackson	11.2 million
Nicolas Batum	10.8 million	11.7 million
Ivica Zubac	10.1 million	10.9 million	11.7 million
John Wall	6.5 million	6.8 million
Amir Coffey	3. 4 million	3.7 million	3.9 million
Terence Mann	1.9 million	10.6 million	11.4 million
Jason Preston	1.6 million	1.8 million	OCA
BJ Boston	1.6 million	1.8 million	OCA
Moussa Diabate	_TW	OCA
Moses Brown	_TW
Total salaries:	192. 0 million	200.9 million	159.3 million	20.5 million	0.0 million

^{Symbols: Not Guaranteed / Team Option / Player Option / Dropped /} ^{TW = Two-Way} ^{Capholds: Free Agent / OCA = Restricted Free / 9th Round Pick / Payroll Empty Penalty}

Ceiling space : — Luxury tax : about 145 million Hard ceiling (~157 million) : not installed

Exceptions :

Mid-level: -
Bi-annual: -
Trading: 9.7m (until 02/11/23), 8.3m (until 08/16/22)

Player rights :

Drafted: Vanya Marinkovic
Byrd's rights: -

Exchange restrictions :

John Wall - until 12/15/22
Ivica Zubac - until 12/29/22
Amir Coffey - until 15. 01.23

Partial Warranty (Total Warranty Date January 10):

Jason Preston in 2023/24 – not guaranteed until 07/02/23
BJ Boston in 2023/24 – not guaranteed until 06/30/23

Bonuses :

Gaming bonuses: Luke Kennard - 1.4 million per year (unlikely), 0.7 million per year (probable)
Trade kickers: Reggie Jackson - 15%, Kawhi Leonard - 15%

Draft Pick Exchanges

* * *

Table Explanations

Brief Glossary of Terms

To go to the club's payroll page, click on the team logo:

Noticed an inaccuracy, mistake or typo? Write about it in the comments to the post.

Los Angeles Clippers Players Salary - AiScore Basketball LiveScore

Basketball Live Score Basketball Players Salary

Players Salary

Player Option Team Option Restricted Free Agent Free Agent

2022-2023

2023-2024

2024-2025

2025-2026

2026-2027

2027-2028

$ 42.

How much do the la clippers dancers make