Fans of the Friday Night Lights television series will once again be able to recapture the drama of the Dillon Panthers as ESPN will air the entire series with episodes set to premiere on July 12. To celebrate the kick-off of the football-themed drama, episodes one and two from season one will air back-to-back in primetime on ESPN at 8pm and 9pm ET.
For those who may be new to the series, a crash course in Friday Night Lights will be offered via a “Season 1 FNL Marathon” on ESPN Classic airing on July 14 and 15. Then, beginning July 21, ESPN Classic will air each season in sequential order beginning with season one/episode one, with “new” episodes each Thursday night at 9pm and 10pm ET.
“At its core, Friday Night Lights captures the blend of drama, excitement and heartache that embodies what it means to be a sports fan, leading to its very loyal and passionate following among viewers,” said Connor Schell, vice president and executive producer, ESPN Films and ESPN Classic. “We recently created a home on ESPN Classic for ESPN Films on the weekends and we believe Friday Night Lights further enhances our mix of long-form sports storytelling. We see this as an opportunity to deliver the series to a whole new audience.”
Longhorn Network, the ESPN owned and operated 24-hour network dedicated to Texas athletics in partnership with UT and IMG College, will also air the entire five seasons of Friday Night Lights upon its August launch.
Inspired by the book and 2004 film of the same name, Friday Night Lights premiered in October 2006 and follows the lives of the players and coach of a competitive Texas high school football team. The Peabody- and Emmy-winning series wraps up its fifth and final season on NBC July 15.
