This Tiny Town Won A $1M Football Field Upgrade. See The Stadium Now

For generations of football players and fans in Dierks, Arkansas, Friday nights have meant gathering at Ayers Field — better known around town as "the Holler."

Now, the longtime home of the Dierks Outlaws looks a whole lot different.

Subscribe

Dierks High School won T-Mobile's Friday Night 5G Lights competition in 2025, earning a $1 million home field upgrade after the small Arkansas community rallied nearly 2 million votes.

Less than a year later, the finished transformation was ready for its big reveal.

What Does A $1 Million Field Upgrade Look Like?

Before the upgrade, the Holler was one of Arkansas' oldest grass fields, according to a T-Mobile press release. The field sloped from one end to the other, and its bleachers hadn't been updated since the 1980s.

But the aging stadium was also a place deeply connected to the community.

"My dad played on this field, my grandpa played on this field and his dad played on this field," Mason Smith, a recent Dierks graduate and former Outlaws linebacker, told T-Mobile. "It makes me proud to live up to their legacy. Here, everybody comes together, and it's not just about watching you play — it's about watching our town and supporting our community. This team means so much more than whether we make the playoffs or not."

Following Dierks' Friday Night 5G Lights win, T-Mobile completed an NFL-grade turf field, upgraded visitor bleachers and concession area and a Gronk Fitness renovation.

The reimagined Holler was celebrated with a big reveal on Sept. 18.

For Dierks resident and Booster Club member Krystal Greene, the new facilities are ultimately about the students who helped make the win possible.

"For them to get to play on something that's brand new — something they earned — that says everything," Greene told T-Mobile. "Because the students are the ones this thing is all about."

How A Town Of Fewer Than 900 People Won

Dierks' road to the $1 million prize began in 2025, when it entered Friday Night 5G Lights alongside more than 2,100 schools from across the country.

The odds may have seemed daunting for a community with fewer than 900 residents.

"I just didn't think that we could go out and compete with towns and schools that had populations five, six, seven times ours," Paul Ernest, who served as the Outlaws' head football coach during the competition and has since become the school's principal, told T-Mobile.

But after Dierks advanced as a finalist, support spread well beyond the school. The campaign gained attention on social media from Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and figures from the NFL, NASCAR and entertainment. One rival school even displayed Dierks' voting QR code on its jumbotron and used timeouts to give fans an opportunity to vote.

Ultimately, Dierks secured nearly 2 million votes and was named the 2025 Friday Night 5G Lights grand prize winner.

The victory brought more than a new field to the community, Ernest said.

"I think this competition allowed for people and families and friends to come together and rebuild those bonds," he told T-Mobile.

Which School Will Be Next?

Now, another high school community has a chance to create its own Friday Night 5G Lights story.

T-Mobile's competition is back for 2026, with more than $8 million in prizes available throughout the season and another $1 million home field upgrade waiting for the grand prize winner.

Voting is now open. Fans can visit FridayNight5GLights.com to see the schools still in the running and cast their vote.

For Dierks, meanwhile, the impact of last year's win will extend well beyond a single football season.

"Winning the Friday Night 5G Lights competition will be something that kids will get to enjoy for years to come, and it has definitely made a historical moment for our school district," Dierks High School teacher and cheer coach Adriana Hogg told T-Mobile.

Ready to see who will follow in Dierks' footsteps? Visit FridayNight5GLights.com to see the schools in the running and cast your vote.

Looking for another way to get in on the fun? Use the tool below to upload a photo of your favorite local athlete or coach and watch them transform into a one-of-a-kind avatar — from game day hero to futuristic MVP and more.