NORFOLK, Va. — Old Dominion University Athletics and Elk Sports & Entertainment/JanDar Productions today announced a joint venture to bring multi-platinum recording artist DaBaby to Chartway Arena on the campus of Old Dominion on Wednesday, October 28, 2026. The concert will directly benefit Old Dominion Athletics in support of efforts to increase funding for revenue sharing with ODU student-athletes.
The concert is part of a growing trend around the country, where musical artists perform on college campuses with a portion of the revenue going to support revenue sharing efforts for athletics departments. This event marks a new partnership between Old Dominion Athletics and Elk Sports & Entertainment/JanDar Productions aimed at creating high-profile entertainment experiences for the Norfolk and Hampton Roads community while generating meaningful support for ODU's student-athletes.
"We worked hand-in-hand with our Student Engagement office to determine what would make Homecoming truly special for ODU students this year," said Old Dominion Director of Athletics Dr. Wood Selig. “Our students told us they wanted a can’t miss moment and bringing DaBaby to Chartway arena does that, while also generating tangible financial support for the student-athletes who represent ODU every day.”
“We are very excited to partner with ODU Athletics on this event." said Dan Libro, Principal at Elk Sports & Entertainment. “ODU is a forward-thinking athletics department and this fits in their broader strategy to maximize the revenue opportunity they have in their facilities and audiences.”
Bringing over 25 years of experience in the live event space, JanDar Productions will handle all production for the show.
“This is the start of a great relationship with ODU Athletics,” said Darwin Rencher, CEO of JanDar Productions. “We look forward to producing a world class event for the constituents of the university and put on a show that well received by the broader Hampton Roads/Norfolk market.”
DaBaby has produced multiple Billboard hits and has released five studio albums, including his most recent, Be More Grateful, that came out earlier this year.
“ODU Student Life is excited to collaborate with ODU Athletics to support our student athletes and create a memorable Homecoming concert for the student body. DaBaby has generated a lot of curiosity and excitement on campus, and there is already a buzz surrounding the show. We’re happy to offer this experience at an exclusive rate for our students and we look forward to celebrating Homecoming with our Monarch community,” said Clayton Lott, ODU’s Associate Director for Student Engagement and Traditions.
About Elk Sports & Entertainment Elk Sports & Entertainment is a sports and entertainment consulting agency focused on building partnerships, live events, and revenue-generating opportunities across the sports marketplace.
About JanDar Productions JanDar is a full service live event production company. With over 25 years experience, JanDar designs, promotes, and manages complete curated experiences for college athletics departments.