NORFOLK, Va. – The demand for Old Dominion football tickets, which has resulted in a record per-game average attendance so far this season, shows no signs of slackening.
ODU's final regular-season home game against James Madison on Saturday, Nov. 12, has sold out the 21,944-seat S.B. Ballard Stadium, it was announced on coach Ricky Rahne's radio show Wednesday night.
It is the second sellout for the Monarchs this season, who also had a full house for ODU's 20-17 upset victory over Virginia Tech on Sept. 2.
Tickets are also selling well for ODU's two remaining home games.
The Monarchs host Georgia Southern, which upset Nebraska earlier this season, on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 3:30 p.m. in ODU's homecoming game.
ODU then hosts Marshall on Saturday, Nov. 5. Marshall, which was ODU's biggest rival in the Conference USA before both teams moved to the Sun Belt Conference, won at Notre Dame earlier this season.
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ODU experienced nearly a 75 percent increase in season-ticket sales this season over last. ODU sold 7,200 in 2021 and 12,564 this season.
Average attendance is also up significantly. The Monarchs have drawn 60,967 fans for three games, an average of 20,323 per game. That would break ODU's all-time per-game attendance record of 20,118 last attained in 2017. The Monarchs then played at old Foreman Field, which was smaller than S.B. Ballard Stadium.
ODU drew 95,434 for six home games last season, an average of 15,739 per game.
Dr. Wood Selig, ODU's director of athletics, credits the move to the Sun Belt, Virginia Tech's and JMU's presence on the schedule and Rahne's leadership on the field for the surge in attendance.
The lessening of the pandemic also encouraged fans to come out who may have been hesitant in 2021, he said. ODU also did a privately funded season ticket media campaign over the summer that boosted ticket sales.
ODU won its last five regular season games in 2021 to win six games and qualify for a bowl bid for the first time since 2016.
The Monarchs (2-3 overall, 1-0 Sun Belt), are at unbeaten Coastal Carolina this Saturday for a noon game to be televised on ESPNU.
JMU and ODU will play for the first time since 2012. ODU was 2-0 against the Dukes when both teams were members of the CAA.
JMU is 5-0 and ranked 25th nationally. However, because the Dukes are in their transition season to the Football Bowl Subdivision, they are ineligible to play for the Sun Belt championship or go to a bowl game.
Although the teams haven't played in a decade, the rivalry has continued between fans of both schools on social media.
ODU vs. James Madison Football Game is Sold Out
