Minium: A Primer For How to Attend ODU Baseball Games This Season

By Harry Minium

NORFOLK, Va. – Baseball returns to Old Dominion’s campus for the first time in 21 months on Friday when the Monarchs host Quinnipiac at 2 p.m.

But if you’re an ODU fan, and you plan to attend, you’re going to need a primer on where to park, purchase your tickets and find a seat. Things have changed a bit since May 12, 2024, the last time the Monarchs played at home when they defeated App State, 11-10.

Because of unavoidable construction delays, the $24 million makeover of the Ellmer Family Baseball Complex at TowneBank Field that began in late 2024 will not be finished in time for this baseball season.

However, the Monarchs will play at home this season, with fans being accommodated in temporary stands behind the left field fence.

InProduction, a temporary seating company operating out of Richmond, installed seating for nearly 1,000 fans in recent weeks. The seating is aluminum and affords fans a view of ODU baseball they’ve never seen – from the outfield.

Here’s what you should do when you arrive on campus. Turn down 43^rd Street off Hampton Boulevard and you will be directed to park in the Elkorn Garage, at the corner of 43rd Street and Elkorn.

As you exit the garage, take a short walk toward your right and the outfield area behind the Chemistry Building. You'll see a temporary ticket gate in front of you. 

Lot 43, adjacent to the L.R. Hill Sports Center, is the place where fans usually park, and it will be open, but Anthony Redifer Jr., ODU’s facilities events coordinator, recommends the Elkorn Garage.

“It is much closer to the entrance to the stadium,” he said.

General admission tickets are $10 apiece, with faculty and military tickets priced at $8 and $5 for children under 12.

Voucher books, priced at $100 for 25 tickets, are available at the ODU ticket office.

CLICK HERE to purchase an ODU baseball voucher book

There is seating for about 150 fans of opposing teams in right center field.

Home fans will have much better accommodations. And although the seating is temporary, it looks kind of cool, with the traditional OD baseball logos everywhere. 

Best of all, ODU has replicated a version of Rally Alley, the area around the first base line where fans usually converge to eat and drink, in the outfield area.

This area will be called the Power Alley Patio presented by IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers). There will be a food truck and a beer garden.

There are two rows of standing drink rails at the back of the seating that will provide room for 100 or so fans to eat and drink while standing and watching the game.

High top tables will be positioned just outside the tent for people who prefer to eat and drink there.

Portable toilets will be provided but fans can also use the rest rooms inside the Jim Jarrett Administration Building that are usually used for volleyball games.

There is, of course, a handicap ramp and handicap seating.

“We hope the fans will be happy with what we’ve got planned. We’ve done everything we can to make this is as comfortable for them as possible,” Redifer said.

The Monarchs played all of their games away from campus last season, including home games at Norfolk’s Harbor Park and Hampton’s War Memorial Stadium.

When they learned the stadium renovation would no be complete on time, ODU officials, including President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D, decided that the it was unfair for the team to have to play on the road again. 

The university spent more than $250,000 to set up the temporary seating and amenities for fans.

ODU Head Coach Chris Finwood sat in the bleachers a few days ago and said the view is unique.

“It’s a great view,” he said. “You don’t often have a view from the outfield at a mid-major stadium.

“I think a really cool thing about this season is that our regular fans, the people who come and watch us often, will get the chance to enjoy watching the stadium get built week by week. We’ll go on a road trip and come back a week or two later and they’ll see more progress.

“It’s going to be a little different visually, but we’re finally going to be playing at home and, you know, that’s a great thing.”

CLICK HERE for ODU's baseball schedule

Minium is ODU's Senior Executive Writer for Athletics. Contact him at hminium@odu.edu or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram

To see past stories from Minium, CLICK HERE