If Roger Goodell agrees to meet with a group of cheerleaders, settling the lawsuits of two of the cheerleaders who recently filed discrimination claims will cost the NFL a pretty penny, 200 of them to be exact.
Lawyers representing New Orleans Saints cheerleader Bailey Davis and former Miami Dolphins cheerleader Kristan Ware, have said that if Goodell agrees to meet with the group, their clients will settle their cases for $1 each
According to ESPN:
The settlement proposal by Sara Blackwell, the lawyer representing the cheerleaders, asked that Goodell and league lawyers have a “good faith” meeting with at least four cheerleaders to create binding rules and regulations for all NFL teams. Also, teams that currently have cheerleading squads would not be allowed to disband them as retaliation for at least five years.
The proposal was sent to NFL attorney Steven Hurd on Tuesday.
Blackwell represents former New Orleans Saints cheerleader Bailey Davis and former Miami Dolphins cheerleader Kristan Ware. Blackwell asked for a response from the NFL by May 4.
However, should the NFL decline Blackwell’s offer, the two lawsuits will move forward.
“We’re not asking them to admit fault, or to admit guilt, or even admit that there is anything wrong,” Blackwell told the New York Times. “But if they do want and expect that cheerleaders should have a fair working environment, as they have stated, then it doesn’t make any common sense why the answer would be no.”
Amid a slew of complaints from NFL cheerleaders regarding their working conditions, pay, problems with sexual harassment, and stringent social media rules, the NFL has issued a statement reinforcing their commitment to a “respectful” work environment.
“Everyone who works in the NFL, including cheerleaders, has the right to work in a positive and respectful environment that is free from any and all forms of harassment and discrimination and fully complies with state and federal laws,” the statement said.
According to ESPN:
Davis was fired from the Saintsations cheerleading squad after posting an Instagram photo showing her in an outfit similar to a one-piece swimsuit. She filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, saying that the Saints have different standards for women and men.
Ware, who worked for three seasons with the Dolphins, filed a complaint this month with the Florida Commission on Human Relations, saying she was subjected to a hostile work environment and discriminated against over gender and religion.
The two other cheerleaders who would attend the meeting with Davis and Ware have not been determined, Blackwell said, but they would not be associated with Blackwell and would come from different teams.
The NFL has not yet responded to the request for a meeting.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn
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