Super Bowl Pay Checks: How Much Do The Cheer Leaders And Players Bank? [VIDEO]

Super Bowl weekend is finally here, as thousands of people have flocked to New York and New Jersey to see the biggest game of the year. But even if you are watching the game from the comfort of your home, or at your local bar, your hard-earned tax dollars are still paying for it.

While it’s difficult to estimate how much the people of New Jersey and New York are paying, it’s fair to assume it’s a lot when you consider the amount of transit, security and promotions that go into making the game what it is.

We are all aware of the ridiculous pay some of the players get, and that doesn’t include all the cash they get from sponsors and endorsement deals. You should consider the fact that these footballers will not have long careers on the field. The average time spent playing professional football is only 3.5 years.

When was the last time you saw a man with gray hair running with a football at the Super Bowl? Their careers are short, and injuries are a constant threat.

So they better make bank, and they do! In 2012, it was estimated that the minimum salary for rookie players was $390,000 a year. Very few players make it to the Super Bowl, but when they do, you better believe they get paid for it.

The winning team will receive a $92,000 bonus, and the losing team will receive $49,000. That is certainly more than most people make in a year, not to mention the fact that these players will be on the world’s biggest stage on Sunday and stand to make a lot more money with endorsements after the game, especially if they give a "star" performance.

But some of the hardest working people on the field aside from the football players are the cheerleaders. They are flexible, coordinated, beautiful and talented dancers, but how much are the cheerleaders of the game really getting paid?

This issue came into light when an anonymous Oakland Raiders cheerleader filed a lawsuit for their pay which she alleges is below minimum wage and violates California labor laws. Now the issue has been brought into the media spot light as people are outraged that these hard working dancers are not being compensated fairly.

A petition on change.com now has 61,000 signatures supporting the cheer leaders, and the fact that they should be getting paid more than $1,250 for an entire season. Yes the cheerleaders get to work at the biggest game of the year, but with all the potential dangers of their flips, not to mention the agony of smiling while doing it, is the pay adequate?