Overview
- T‑Mobile announced the third season of Friday Night 5G Lights on Friday, expanding the program to more than $8.4 million in awards and restoring a $1 million football field makeover as the grand prize.
- Applications are open now through September 18 at FridayNight5GLights.com, the first 1,500 schools to apply will get rally kits, and every eligible entry is automatically entered into the weekly $5K Fridays sweepstakes.
- A panel of judges will pick 40 division finalists (10 each from West, East, Midwest and South) and public voting will run October 8–25, with the grand-prize winner to be announced November 12.
- This season’s prize tiers include 1,000 weekly $5,000 winners, four $5,000 Spotlight School awards, 40 schools receiving $25,000, four division champions getting $250,000 plus a Gronk Fitness gym, one Fan Favorite with $25,000, and the $1 million field upgrade.
- The campaign uses celebrity ambassadors such as Patrick Mahomes and Rob Gronkowski, social-media bonus entries on X and Instagram, and in-store Tailgate Week events to drive community engagement and publicity for small towns under 150,000 people.