Minium: Head to Kaufman Mall Before ODU Football Games for Food, Drink and Fun
By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – Game time for Old Dominion’s football home opener Saturday against North Carolina Central is 6 p.m., but if you don’t arrive to S.B. Ballard Stadium much earlier, you’re going to miss a ton of fun.
When I first get to the stadium, I generally walk around the tailgate lots and spend time with the tons of friendly people eating, drinking and having a good time.
Even if you do the same, I’d suggest that you then quickly head to Kaufman Mall, located between Hampton Boulevard and Webb Student Center and 47th and 49th streets. It is a four-acre plot of land that includes ODU’s Lion Fountain and is the primary outdoor gathering spot on campus.
With trees and lush grass surrounded by academic buildings, it is a pleasant place to chill before a game and has gradually become the focus of pre-game celebrations for ODU football.
Beginning at 2 p.m., ODU will offer food trucks, entertainment and games. Bring an easy chair with you, but you can forget having to haul a grill and cooler. We provide everything to eat and drink and be merry.
Because of the increasing popularity of Kaufman Mall, the University has added more attractions.
The beer garden, children’s play area, a gargantuan TV showing college football and food trucks all return – “Hot Mamas” southern cuisine and “Ghost Kitchen,” which has awesome burgers. We’ve added “I Love Kookies,” which will offer cookies and other deserts.
As usual, there will be yard games, including corn hole, which is a football staple. But we’ve added an unusual game – an ax throwing competition. No, axes aren't real, but go ahead and embrace your inner Leif Erikson.
There will be bands at every home game, starting four hours before game-time, and for the first game it’s Almost Famous, a Virginia Beach band that plays everything from southern rock and roll to alternative and dance music.
At 3:30 p.m., the ODU band makes the first of two appearances at Kaufman Mall and at 3:45, the Monarch football team and coaches do the traditional Monarch March, from Webb Center to S.B. Ballard Stadium.
For true ODU fans, it’s usually an emotional moment to see the team march to the stadium just hours before kickoff. And it’s also emotional for the players and coaches.
“The Monarch Walk is a tradition that our players and coaches really enjoy,” ODU Head Coach Ricky Rahne said. “We really like interacting with the fans. For me, I get to see my family, and our players and coaches get to see their families.”
And fans can shake the hands of ODU players and coaches.
At 3:55 p.m., Ted Alexander, voice of the Monarchs, will interview ODU men’s and women’s basketball head coaches Mike Jones and Delisha Milton-Jones over loudspeakers.
Both coaches, along with many of their players and assistant coaches, will be tailgating as a group on Kaufman Mall, and you can go tailgate with them. Fans are urged to mingle with basketball players and coaches.
Our bookstore has a new operator – Barnes & Noble – and I’m excited to see the newly renovated ODU Bookstore located at 43rd Street and Monarch Way. It’s a great place to buy all of your athletic gear. It is only steps away from the Chartway Arena parking garages, which, by the way, are the best place to park if you don't have a reserved space.
But ODU gear will also be sold at a kiosk on Kaufman Mall and will also be available inside S.B. Ballard Stadium.
The stadium gates open at 4:30 p.m. and at 5, the pregame radio show hosted by Rick Kiefner and Alexander, also begins. You can hear the show via loudspeakers if you don’t have your radio with you.
And by the way, the radio crew’s broadcast inside S.B. Ballard Stadium will be streamed live on the ODU Athletics Facebook and the ODU Athletics YouTube pages.
At 5, the marching band returns to play in front of the Webb Center, and then marches into the stadium around 5:20.
At 5:45, there will be a flyover of three Navy Blackhawk helicopters, and thank you to former Marine and Virginia Beach Police captain Harry McBrien for helping to arrange that with the Navy.
There will be flyovers every home game as well as parachuters dropping into the stadium when we host Liberty on Sept. 27 and Troy on Nov. 13.
If you decide to enter the stadium early, drop by one of the tables where game programs are being sold and you can pick up a Hudson Blue rally towel – 3,500 will be distributed. I’ve seen them and they’re pretty cool.
And then head to outlets either on the East Side (visitor’s side) or South End Zone (underneath the Atlantic Bay Football Complex), to purchase limited edition Old Dominion YETI Rambler® Tumblers.
Three different tumblers will be sold, one each on Saturday, on Oct. 25 for ODU’s homecoming game against App State and then on Nov. 13, when the Monarchs host Troy on a game to be televised by ESPN. They’re collector’s items and once they’re sold, no more will be available.
Click here for information on Yeti Tumblers
ODU will also cater your tailgating experience if you’d like, from food and drinks, chairs and even a tent. It’s too late to arrange a tailgate for N.C. Central but we can take care of your needs at any other or our five home games.
Click here for information on tailgate packages
One last reminder: ODU season tickets remain among the best bargains in college football. For $200, you get six games and that includes free parking in the nearby Chartway Arena garages. Tickets remain available and are far less expensive than purchasing tickets game by game.
And for tickets you don’t want to use, you can easily sell them online or transfer them to family and friends. All it takes is a few clicks on your cell phone.
Click here to pick out your season ticket seat location
A reminder, that with the exception of small wallets and purses (max is 6 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 inches), you can only bring clear bags into the stadium. ODU’s policy is in line with every other FBS program in Virginia.
Click here for ODU's clear bag policy
ODU’s corporate suites are all sold out, as usual, but there are a small number of loge seats available – that’s luxury seating in the South End Zone with access to food and drink and awesome seats right on top of the action.
Click here for information on ODU premium seating
For individual game tickets, click here.
The drone show that was such a big hit during last season’s Thursday night game against Georgia Southern returns when the Monarchs host Troy, again on Thursday night and again on national TV.
We have some surprises we’re working on for that game, which is our Military Appreciation Night. Stay tuned to www.odusports.com for more information.
Minium is ODU’s senior executive writer. Contact him at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram