📍 Norfolk, Virginia
🏀 Home of Old Dominion Monarchs basketball
Old Dominion University has been part of the sports fabric of the Hampton Roads region since it was established nearly a century ago. Although football is generally the more popular collegiate sport, ODU’s basketball men and women are often the most exciting teams to watch. Barnstormers at first, the Monarchs have entertained fans at several sites across the city since their inception in 1930, bouncing from the old Administration Building to the Norfolk Municipal Auditorium, Health & Physical Education Building and Norfolk Scope before finally landing at the stately Chartway Arena at the Ted Constant Convocation Center.
Opened in 2002, The Ted is the anchor of a bustling retail and entertainment district just across Hampton Boulevard from the Old Dominion campus. The venue seats just under 8,500 for basketball games, but can hold up to a thousand more for concerts and other events. In the main lobby of the arena, cases chock full of trophies, photos and memorabilia make up the expansive ODU Sports Hall of Fame, a walk through time that aims to inform visitors on the many accomplishments of all of the school’s athletic programs.
Known originally as the Norfolk Braves, Monarch men’s basketball experienced little to no success for its first forty years of existence. But after the school became independent from the much older College of William & Mary in 1962 and head coach Sonny Allen took over three years later, things started to look up. Competing at the Division II level, the team made the Final Four a handful of times in the ’70s, winning it all in 1975. The Monarchs transitioned to Division I in 1976 and were contenders almost right out of the gate, participating in a few NCAA Tournaments and NITs in the ’80s and ’90s. Overall, Old Dominion has made a dozen appearances in March Madness since their DI debut.
Though it may not be the most preeminent basketball venue, Chartway Arena is a solid place for Sun Belt hoops. ODU has a great, passionate fanbase and when a marquee opponent comes to town, the Monarch faithful pack The Ted to create a “royal rumble” that makes for a great mid-major experience.
Info Invasion
Parking: Free in the 45th Street Garage or South Garage
Nearby Venue(s): Norfolk Scope, Hampton Convocation Center
In the Area: See the final resting place of one of America’s best military minds at the MacArthur Memorial
Other Notes: The self-serve concession stands run fantastically smooth and make getting a bite to eat extremely quick and easy… 5/5 stars
Stadium51 