Dierks, Arkansas, a town with population of just 900 (or 877 by 2024 estimates) secures the $1,000,000 T-Mobile prize of the Friday Night 5G Lights competition!
Over 2 million votes
Image by T-Mobile
Locals are very proud of their success, I'm sure. As we reported a month earlier, the Magenta carrier's national program, aimed at supporting small-town high schools and their football programs, narrowed the competition to 25 finalists. Now the votes are in and the Dierks High School in Arkansas will take advantage of the title that comes with a $1 million field upgrade.
Dierks got over 2 million votes in the final phase of the competition.
This year took everything up a notch, with more schools, more votes and more heart. We built America's Best Network to reach communities like Dierks, and they proved what next-level connection looks like when everyone comes together for something bigger.
– Jon Freier, President, T-Mobile Consumer Group, October 2025
A way of life
In the small town of Dierks, where fewer than 900 people live, football plays a central role in community life. Local families, from farmers to welders to small business owners, have long filled the stands to support the Outlaws (the high school team).
The momentum was built as students leveraged their growing online audience to connect with supporters across the country. High-profile figures, including state leaders, former professional athletes, entertainers and public personalities, publicly backed the school.
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More than 20 years without upgrades
For the first time in more than two decades, the Outlaws' stadium is set for a major upgrade. As the grand-prize winner, Dierks will receive a $1 million stadium makeover, a renovated weight room, expert guidance on stadium enhancements, a trip to the SEC Championship Game for school representatives and a tailgate event in 2026 to reveal the finished improvements.
The competition ultimately came down to a tight race between Dierks and Lebanon High School in Oregon, with both towns generating more than 3.4 million votes combined and drawing support from public figures and athletes. Lebanon earned $100,000 as the runner-up, while Dexter Regional High School in Maine secured $50,000 for third place.
For next year's competition, schools and fans can already register at FridayNight5GLights.com.
Should carriers support high school sports more?
14 Votes
Yes.
78.57%
No.
21.43%
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Sebastian is one of PhoneArena’s senior opinionators. A veteran news writer with almost 20 years of experience in media and technology, he not only covers all the hot news about Galaxies and iPhones, but often provides hot takes on industry trends. He’s fascinated with camera-focused flagships from the likes of Oppo and Vivo, as well as foldable phones.
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