Ryan Cormier, and Sarika Jagtiani

This summer, music fans will be able to watch live performances from Dover's Firefly Music Festival without sacrificing air conditioning.

For the first time since Firefly debuted in 2012, 15 hours of live sets from the four-day festival will be broadcast on AXS TV from the Woodlands at Dover International Speedway.

While the festival will run June 18-21 next year, the live programming will cover only June 19-21.

Five hours of performances are expected to air from three of the festival's largest stages, says Ryan Mortimer, Firefly's sponsorship director.

AXS TV is a cable channel available through Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DISH, Verizon FIOS and other providers. It is owned by investor and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, entertainer Ryan Seacrest, entertainment company AEG and others.

Firefly's leap from the Woodlands to the living room means plenty of additional exposure for the festival, landing it on national television for the first time.

"It's another step in the right direction in terms of the broadening scope of Firefly nationally. We're now able to bring Firefly into the homes of people who are maybe out on the West Coast and can't make the trek over," Mortimer says, adding that the festival can show off its unique lush, wooded festival-grounds.

"One of the things we're most excited for is to give people a line of sight that shows what the concert experience is like," he adds. "We think it will continue to draw fans to the Woodlands."

AXS TV already broadcasts from other large festivals, including the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Stagecoach Country Music Festival and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. This year it adds Firefly and Ohio's Rock on the Range Music Festival to its roster.

"Nothing compares to a live music event, and now our audience will get a front-row seat to five incredible festivals, as we bring the ultimate concert experience to our viewers," Cuban said in a press release announcing the new partnership.

Firefly founders Red Frog Events announced in September it was teaming up with Goldenvoice, which created Coachella and Stagecoach. The partnership means help with promoting and producing Firefly, an event that already has jumped from a 30,000-person event in its first year to an 80,000-fan four-day bash in its third edition.

The AXS TV deal was a direct result of the Goldenvoice partnership, Mortimer says. Goldenvoice is owned by AEG.

In addition to the live coverage, AXS TV will produce a special program of festival highlights that will be aired throughout the year, he adds.

AXS TV, launched in 2012, is home to programs such as "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," "The Big Interview with Dan Rather" and "The X Factor UK." It's also carved out a niche in the sports and music industries, broadcasting live concerts and mixed martial-arts events.

With Firefly becoming available in the comfort of fans' own homes, is there any chance that they will leave their sweaty Dover days behind and instead just binge-watch 15 hours of live programming?

Lauren King, a Firefly spokeswoman, doesn't see it happening.

"I don't think there will be that much of an impact," she says. "The experience of Firefly and the Woodlands brings so much more than just the music with all the experience items and attractions we offer."

Contact Ryan Cormier at (302) 324-2863 or rcormier@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Facebook at facebook.com/ryancormier. Contact Sarika Jagtiani at sjagtiani@delawareonline.com or (302) 324-2885.