EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The University of Texas at El Paso’s Office of Special Events said the delays at both BTS concerts in El Paso were due to technology issues of scanning tickets and an overflow of fans at the North Gate entrance.

BTS performed in El Paso on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3, with both shows expected to kick off at 8 p.m. According to fans at the event, Saturday’s show was delayed by over 40 minutes, and Sunday’s show was delayed by 20 minutes.

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In a statement to KTSM 9 News, UTEP said that the delays for both shows were due to technical issues and an overflow of fans at one entrance. Here’s the full statement:

“The UTEP Office of Special Events fully staffed all ticket and security entry points for both BTS concerts. Five gates were operational throughout both events, including the main North gate, Southeast, Southwest stair and ramp entrances, and the West gate serving premium and ADA guests. An additional 46 Destination El Paso wayfinding personnel were deployed to direct fans to the stadium.

“Saturday’s extended entry times were the result of two factors: a technology issue in which some Android devices were not scanning tickets at full speed, and a significant concentration of fans — approximately 30,000 — who lined up at the main North gate rather than distributing across available entrances.

“For Sunday’s concert, Special Events staff began scanning tickets further up in the queue, well before fans reached the gates, which significantly improved entry flow.“

There were five entrances that guests could line up for to enter the Sun Bowl for the BTS concerts: the Main North Gate, West Gate, two South West Gates and the South East Gate.

It was noted in UTEP’s BTS fan guide that the North Gate had the largest queuing area for quicker entry, and the other gates were a bit smaller.

KTSM 9 News spoke to some fans who said they waited in line for hours, and lines snaked into UTEP’s inner campus.

Many concertgoers have expressed frustration with the long entrance lines, stating that this situation was similar to Coldplay’s sold-out shows in El Paso in June 2025.

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