ESPN Radio / Purple Party Wed. night in Asheville

To celebrate the ESPN Asheville / Catamount Sports Network partnership - as well as to gear-up for the upcoming 2012 season of Catamount Football - a special "Purple Party" will be held at the Hickory Tavern (www.thehickorytavern.com) in Biltmore Park, 30 Town Square Blvd., Asheville  on Wednesday, July 25 beginning at 5:00 pm. Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served with a cash bar, as well as the traditional 50-cent wing night and trivia at the Hickory Tavern.

The open event is slated for the outdoor patio at the Hickory Tavern and will include airing of the WISE Guys show - Western North Carolina's only local daily sports show - on the in-house PA until 6:00 pm. Both WCU Director of Athletics, Randy Eaton, and first-year head football coach Mark Speir are scheduled as special call-in guests on the show.

Just after 6:30 pm, Speir, Eaton and Ken Carson - the operations manager for the Asheville Radio Group - will all address those gathered. Those in attendance will also have the chance to register for gift card prizes, WCU football season tickets and Hickory Tavern gifts as a part of a special raffle.

Fans in attendance can also see the new Catamount football headgear up close that night.