UTEP Officially Announces 100 Percent Capacity for Home Games

As most sports venues have started to lay out their plans to have fans back inside arenas, UTEP athletics announced their plans to have 100 percent capacity at all home sporting events this 2021-22 athletics season.

El Paso County health data shows that 60.9% of the population over 12 years old are fully vaccinated, while 73.5% of the population has been at least partially vaccinated. Last week, El Paso was ranked No. 5 in the country for partially vaccinated and No. 7 for their number of fully vaccinated individuals.

There are currently 301 known active cases of COVID-19 in the city. There are currently 40 people hospitalized due to COVID-19 as of Friday morning.

In addition to the full capacity approach to their home games, UTEP lifted its mandatory mask policy on campus. In May, UTEP President Heather Wilson announced face coverings were not required on campus in both indoor and outdoor settings.

Tailgating is also going to be allowed this fall, with an updated parking map for visitors.

“We are excited to announce full capacity at our events for the upcoming year,” Director of Athletics Jim Senter said in a release. “We will continue to prioritize health and safety while ensuring our venues are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Miners take care of Miners and we want everyone who attends a UTEP game to feel safe. Our previous COVID-19 protocols taught us a great deal and have put us in a position to return to full capacity. Moving forward, we will continue to work with our campus partners and follow all recommended requirements as outlined by the authorities.”

“We can’t wait to welcome Miner Nation back to create a home field advantage for our coaches and student-athletes, while we also realize how excited our fans are to see the Miners play in person in 2021,” Senter continued. “I’d like to thank our fans for their patience and support throughout the past year and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone come August.”

Miner football season has its home opener on Saturday, Sept. 4 versus Bethune-Cookman (FCS). They will start the season on the road against NM State (Saturday, Aug. 28).