T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights Contest and Sweepstakes: Win $5K Weekly or $1M Grand Prize for Your School

T-Mobile is electrifying the gridiron with the return of Friday Night 5G Lights—a nationwide celebration that’s transforming local football fields into national spotlights. With over $4 million in total prizes on the line, this high-octane promotion champions community spirit, student-athletes, and the heart of hometown football.

Each week, 450 schools across the country will snag $5,000 cash prizes as part of the weekly $5K Fridays giveaways. But the stakes don’t stop there. 25 finalists will power ahead with $25,000 each to enhance their football programs—whether it’s gear, training, or team development.

One school will be crowned “Fan Favorite” by T-Mobile employees and receive an extra $25,000, but the ultimate glory awaits the Grand Prize winner: a jaw-dropping $1 million football field makeover, a Gronk Fitness-designed weight room, professional stadium consultation, a VIP trip to the SEC Championship Game, and an epic tailgate reveal in 2026. This isn’t just about football. It’s a full-scale elevation of the student-athlete experience.

Limit: Only one submission per school is allowed. The Promotion is open to accredited public or private high schools (grades 9–12) in U.S. towns or cities with populations of 150,000 or less. Eligible schools must operate year-round at a permanent location and comply with local education laws. 

How to Participate in T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights Contest:

Authorized school representatives (“Eligible Participants”) must visit FridayNight5GLights.com between July 17 and September 12, 2025, and complete the online entry form with:

• Personal and school contact information
• School name, city, zip code, tax ID, official social media handles, and website
• Uploads: current football field image and school logo (JPG/PNG/PDF or EPS/SVG formats)
• A 200–700-word essay explaining why the school’s football field needs an upgrade and how it will impact the community
• A public Instagram or X post from the school’s official account tagging @tmobile and using #FN5GL and #Sweepstakes

Schools must have their own football field and public social media accounts to qualify.

How to Enter in T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights Sweepstakes:

Once a valid Contest Submission is completed, the school automatically receives one entry into the Sweepstakes.

Bonus Entry: Additional Sweepstakes entries can be earned when public Instagram or X users tag the school’s official handle, @tmobile, and use both hashtags #FN5GL and #Sweepstakes in their post. Limit one bonus entry per user per day.

Friday Night 5G Lights Contest Winner Selection, Judging Criteria & Notification:

The Friday Night 5G Lights Contest will unfold in two competitive phases to determine the most deserving schools.

Phase 1 – Finalist Selection:

All submissions received during the Entry Period will be evaluated by a panel of judges selected by the Sponsor. Entries will be judged based on the following criteria:

• 30% – Alignment with T-Mobile’s small-town business strategy
• 30% – Demonstrated need, impact, and feasibility of the proposed football field improvements
• 40% – Community engagement, creativity, and social media effectiveness

The top 25 highest-scoring schools will be named Finalists.

Each Finalist must then submit a 90-second video explaining why their football field deserves a makeover and how it will benefit their school and community.

Phase 2 – Community Voting & Bonus Opportunities:

From September 25 to October 24, 2025, verified Finalist videos will be posted at FridayNight5GLights.com for public voting. U.S. residents (13+) may vote once per day using a valid email address.

Bonus Votes may be awarded during special Sponsor-issued “Social Play Challenges” and “Trick Plays.” These are time-limited, interactive social media or engagement tasks.

In addition, T-Mobile employees will vote separately to determine the Team Magenta Prize winner—completely independent of the public vote.

T-Mobile 5G Lights Promotion Winner Determination:

• The Finalist with the most public votes will be named the Grand Prize Winner.
• The Finalist with the most employee votes will be named the Team Magenta Prize Winner.
• A Finalist can win either the Grand Prize or the Team Magenta Prize—not both.
• Each school may win a maximum of two prizes: one Finalist Prize and one Major Prize (Grand or Team Magenta).

In case of a tie, the Judges will make the final decision based on the creativity and community engagement of the entry.

T-Mobile School Giveaway Winner Notification:

Finalists will be notified by September 25, 2025, and winners by October 30, 2025, via email. To claim their prize, selected schools must submit required documentation within three days of notification.

T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights Giveaway Prizes:

(25) Finalist Prizes: Each Finalist School will receive:

• A $25,000 check
• A T-Mobile hosted home football game celebration kit

(ARV: $34,000 for each)

(1) Team Magenta Prize: One School will receive:

• A $25,000 check

(1) Grand Prize: One School will receive:

• A $1,000,000 check for a homefield upgrade
• A consultation with a stadium experience expert (selected by Sponsor)
• A weight room upgrade from GronkFitness.com
• A free tailgate party for the School (to take place in 2026)
• A 3-day/2-night trip for up to 16 School representatives to attend one 2026 SEC Championship game (includes coach airfare, hotel accommodations, and game tickets)

(ARV: $1,408,000)

(450) Sweepstakes Prizes: Each Sweepstakes Winner will receive:

• A $5,000 check

Total ARV of All Prizes: $4,900,000