Formula 1 fans may have spotted a Netflix crew in the paddock at the US Grand Prix — but this time, it wasn’t for "Drive to Survive." The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC), fresh off their own Netflix debut, returned to the Circuit of the Americas for their annual pre-race performance, with cameras capturing their behind-the-scenes experience.
The elite DCC squad is in the midst of a surge in popularity not unlike the so-called ‘Drive to Survive effect,’ which catapulted F1 into the mainstream American consciousness. Their new Netflix docuseries, "America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders," introduced viewers to the 36, ultra-talented women who defied Ivy League-level acceptance rates to make the team, and turned them into social media stars.
Jada Mclean, a fifth-year DCC veteran, who waved the chequered flag as Charles Leclerc claimed victory in Austin, described the surprising parallels between F1 drivers and the world-renowned squad. “I watched ‘Drive to Survive’ and thought it was so special seeing what goes into being an F1 driver and all the sacrifices they make,” she explained. “It’s similar as a cheerleader: there's a lot of people who don't realize what we're sacrificing to do what we do on Sundays. I think we probably understand each other as part of this Netflix family, being followed day-in and day-out through our lives as professional athletes, but also our lives outside [of the sport].”
When the Cowboys gave Netflix cameras unparalleled access to the DCC throughout the 2023-24 football season, the show charted every aspect of their experience inside the walls of AT&T Stadium. It seems the second season — which is yet to be announced by Netflix — will also follow their lives away from the football field, including the organisation’s decade-long relationship with the US Grand Prix.
Shelly Roper-McCaslin, head of special projects at the DCC, has witnessed the F1 boom first-hand since the team began performing at COTA in 2013. “We’ve participated in F1 activities since the second year of the race and the sport has grown significantly in that time,” she said. “I suppose we’re Netflix cousins now.”
This year, the team brought their signature "Thunderstruck" routine, which kicks off every Cowboys home game, back to the grid. The reception the team received - from enthusiastic cheers in the grandstands to celebrities asking for selfies in the paddock — mirrors F1’s experience in the US following the release of ‘Drive to Survive’ five years ago. For Reece Weaver, one of the breakout stars of ‘America’s Sweethearts,’ the Netflix effect has been both surreal and humbling. “There's definitely been a shift within the team, knowing that there’s a little more of a magnifying glass on us,” Weaver explained. “But it also shows us that it’s a lot of responsibility to be role models and mentors. It’s such a privilege to look up and see a little girl in the crowd wearing your uniform.”
Mclean echoed the sentiment. “Fans have a new appreciation for what we do now that they’ve seen all the hard work that goes into it.” She went on, “It’s definitely been different since the show, people are much more excited to see us because they feel like they know us a little better. We kind of feel like little celebrities, which is fun. Cheerleading is such a short chapter in our lives, so we’re all trying to soak in these moments and wear the uniform with pride.”
