Festival of Hope’s Assist: UTEP able to use Haskins Center for WNIT championship game after all
There’s no place like home.
And UTEP won’t have to leave it if they make it to the WNIT championship game on Saturday.
Franklin Graham’s Festival of Hope, which is scheduled to take place at the Don Haskins Center on Saturday and Sunday, will make adjustments so UTEP can play the championship game there if they make it that far.
“When (Franklin Graham) realized a win tomorrow night against South Dakota State University would put the Miners in the nationally-televised championship game on Saturday afternoon–and prevent converting the arena on time for that evening’s Festival of Hope, Graham said, ‘We will gladly give up the arena and will move our 6 p.m. event to another location on campus. We want everyone who has been a part of planning this festival, including more than 200 area churches, to also be a part of UTEP Women’s Basketball,'” according to a Festival of Hope statement.
The statement added that should UTEP make it to the finals that Graham and his festival team would be in the stands cheering for the Miners.
“Following the game, Graham hopes the students and fans will join him, along with music artists Thousand Foot Krutch, Flame, Funky and Joshua Chavez Band for the Festival of Hope. Sunday’s artists include Michael W. Smith, Daniel Calveti, Mariachi Isai, and Joshua Chavez Band. The Greater El Paso Festival of Hope begins Saturday and Sunday at 6 p.m. and admission is free,” according to the Festival of Hope statement.
The Festival of Hope will serve free pizza to the first 1,000 students arriving at the festival Saturday night to help celebrate the successful season of the UTEP women’s basketball team.
But before a championship game, the Miners have to get through South Dakota State.
More than 10,000 tickets were sold Tuesday for Wednesday’s semifinal game against South Dakota State – less than 2,000 away from a sellout.
Tickets are now on sale at the University Ticket Center with the following prices: $15 floor, $10 general admission and $5 for students. Tickets are more expensive for this round compared to previous rounds.
The ticket center closes at 6 p.m. today but tickets are available at other Ticketmaster locations, as well.
Tickets also can be bought online through Ticketmaster.com but additional fees apply. You won’t have to wait in line, though.
Dozens of people lined up outside the UTEP Ticket Center after Monday’s win over Washington to buy tickets to Wednesday’s game but the ticket center was closed.
UTEP Athletic Director Bob Stull told ABC-7 that the reason reason why the ticket price went up is because it’s mandated by the WNIT and that’s also why UTEP didn’t open the ticket office immediately after the game Monday night.
Stull said they needed time to process the new $10 tickets so they would print correctly. However, if the Miners win on Wednesday the ticket center will be open immediately afterward to sell championship tickets.
Call the UTEP ticket center for complete information at (915) 747-5234.
