Key Takeaways
- Menasha High School collected 390,517 final-round votes, roughly twice the total of second-place Lakeside High School in Washington, per T-Mobile.
- The Wisconsin school’s combined winnings now stand at $1.37 million, including a $1 million football field makeover due to debut in 2027.
- T-Mobile says the 2026 program paid out more than $8.4 million, pushing its three-year total past $16 million.
- More than 2,400 schools applied and over 3.2 million votes were cast across the competition, according to the company.
T-Mobile has named Menasha High School in Menasha, Wisconsin, the $1 million grand prize winner of the 2026 T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights competition, the company announced November 12. The win comes less than four months after a July 27 tornado damaged Calder Stadium, the Bluejays’ home field, and brings the school’s total winnings to $1.37 million.
How Menasha Won T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights
The field started with more than 2,400 applications and narrowed to 40 Division Finalists, then four Division Champions, T-Mobile said. Menasha, the Midwest Division Champion, finished the final round with 390,517 votes.
Lakeside High School in Nine Mile Falls, Washington, placed second with 194,316 votes. Buffalo Gap High School in Swoope, Virginia, was third with 165,533, and Covington High School in Covington, Louisiana, was fourth with 142,273, per the company.
According to T-Mobile, Menasha football players began cleaning up Calder Stadium after the tornado, then helped families and businesses in the community start their own recovery. More than 400 local businesses later backed the school’s campaign, many posting daily reminders to vote.
“It has lifted our spirits, inspired our recovery, and reminded us of the strength of a community that stands together,” said Jeramie Korth, Head Football Coach at Menasha High School, in the announcement.
What Menasha’s $1.37 Million in Winnings Covers
T-Mobile broke down the school’s total as follows:
- $1 million toward a football field makeover as grand prize winner
- $250,000 as Midwest Division Champion
- A Gronk Fitness gym upgrade valued at $90,000
- $25,000 as a Division Finalist
- A $5,000 student leadership award
Menasha is the third school to win the grand prize, following Inola High School in Oklahoma in 2024 and Dierks High School in Arkansas in 2025, per T-Mobile.
Four Division Champions and $8.4 Million in 2026 Prizes
This was the first season with four Division Champions, representing the West, Midwest, South, and East. Each champion received $250,000, a $5,000 student leadership award, and a Gronk Fitness gym upgrade, the company said.
Across the full program, T-Mobile reported more than $8.4 million in prizes for 2026. That includes $5,000 awards to 1,000 schools through $5K Fridays, $25,000 to each of the 40 Division Finalists, and a combined $1 million to the four Division Champions.
A separate award went to Baldwin High School in Baldwin City, Kansas. T-Mobile employees chose the school from eight division runners-up as the Team Magenta Fan Favorite, adding $25,000 and bringing Baldwin’s total to $55,000.
Over three years, the program has awarded more than $16 million to schools, according to T-Mobile.
Calder Stadium Reopens With a New Field in 2027
T-Mobile said a celebration in Menasha is planned for December, with the field upgrades to be unveiled during the 2027 football season. Registration for next year’s competition is already open at FridayNight5GLights.com.
When the Bluejays return to Calder Stadium in 2027, they will play on a field won with 390,517 votes.
Source / Adapted From: T-Mobile, November 12, 2026, https://www.t-mobile.com/news/un-carrier/menasha-high-school-wins-t-mobiles-friday-night-5g-lights
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How big is the youth sports market?
American families spend approximately $54 billion annually on kids’ sports and recreation, according to the YSBR and Kinetica Group Youth Sports TAM & Parent Spending Report, with organized sports alone representing a $40 billion-plus market. The average family spent $1,016 on a child’s primary sport in 2024, up 46 percent since 2019, per the Aspen Institute’s Project Play, and market research projects the global youth sports market will reach approximately $114 billion by 2032 (Business Research Insights).
How many kids play youth sports in the United States?
Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
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Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
