Chartway Arena

Old Dominion's arena and the Ted Constant name

Chartway Arena is the main arena of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, on Hampton Boulevard at the edge of campus. It is home to ODU men's and women's basketball and the area's mid-size stop for concerts, comedy, wrestling, family shows and graduations. It seats 8,639 for basketball and 9,520 for concerts. For an ODU game, the best seats are the lower sideline sections across from the benches and scorer's table, around sections 103 to 105.

The full official name is Chartway Arena at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. The building opened in 2002 as the Ted Constant Convocation Center, named for Ted Constant, a Virginia Beach donor to the university, and fans called it "the Ted." In June 2019, Chartway Federal Credit Union signed a 10-year, 4.25-million-dollar branding deal with ODU, and the arena bowl inside the complex became Chartway Arena. The convocation center still carries the Constant name, so tickets, maps and locals use both.

How Chartway Arena's seating is laid out

The arena is a compact bowl. Most seats are in a large lower bowl that rises from the floor to a concourse; club seating and suites sit above it.

Lower bowl: the 100s

Sections numbered in the 100s ring the court below the concourse. A 2017 Stadium Journey review places sections 103–105 opposite the scorer's table and team benches, the side that also faces the center-court logo the right way up. The arena's guide puts the patron elevator behind Section 113 on the east side, facing Monarch Way, and a VIP elevator behind Section 107 at the north end.

Upper club and suites: the 200s

Above the concourse sit 862 upper club and priority seats and 16 private suites. A second VIP elevator behind Section 207 at the north end shows that the upper seats are numbered in the 200s. Stadium Journey describes the suites along the sidelines and the club seats in the corners and ends. There is also a 55-person group box and a 16-person party suite.

Floor

For concerts, floor seating brings the room to about 9,500 or more. Retractable seating can also shrink the bowl to about 1,500 to 2,000 seats for lectures and smaller shows, according to ODU Athletics.

Confirm exact section locations on the event's seat map before you buy, since the arena does not publish a written section guide.

Best seats for ODU basketball and concerts

Monarchs basketball

The lower sideline seats are the pick, and the 103–105 side gives you the television angle with the benches in front of you. Middle rows of the lower bowl are high enough to see the whole floor over courtside fans. The opposite sideline is just as close and puts the benches across the court. Baseline seats cost less and show the near basket well but compress the far end. Stadium Journey's reviewer judged there to be no bad seat in the house, which fits a building this size: even the club seats above the concourse are not far from the court. The student section and pep band add the noise; the band sits in one end.

Concerts

For an end-stage show, the floor is closest and the lower sideline sections nearest the stage give the best raised view. The club seats in the corners have a clear angle and more space. Sections at the far end face the stage straight on.

Seats to avoid

• Sections beside or behind an end stage: obstructed or angled views.
• Low baseline rows at basketball: the basket support blocks part of the view.
• The very top rows at the ends: the farthest seats from the floor.

Chartway Arena parking and directions

Event parking is in two garages next to the arena: the Constant Center 43rd Street Garage and the Constant Center 45th Street Garage. ODU Athletics lists them at roughly 1,400 and 800 cars. As of 2026, the arena encourages buying a garage pass in advance through the event listing; on-site passes, when available, cost more.

• Accessible parking: in every deck, near the elevators.
• Accessible drop-off: at the 45th Street (north) entrance, with an elevator to the concourse and VIP levels.
• VIP entrance: 45th Street and Hampton Boulevard.
• Box office: 43rd Street and Hampton Boulevard, weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Shuttles: ODU runs shuttle buses from campus locations to some events.

From I-64, take exit 276 onto I-564 toward the Naval Base and ODU, then Terminal Boulevard to Hampton Boulevard; from Portsmouth, the Midtown Tunnel (a toll road) leads to Hampton Boulevard. Tunnel traffic can back up, so allow extra time. Directions for each approach are on the arena's directions and parking page.

Bag policy and entry rules

As of 2026, Chartway Arena does not allow large purses, backpacks or other large bags; medically necessary items and diaper bags are allowed after a search. The arena does not publish a size limit, so a small purse or clutch is the safe choice. Doors usually open one hour before the event.

• Re-entry: not allowed once you leave.
• Cameras: still cameras, flash photography and recording devices are banned at most events; you will be asked to return them to your car or check them at Guest Services.
• Strollers: not allowed in seating sections; Guest Services in the main lobby has a stroller check.
• Smoking: only in the designated area outside the main lobby.

Check the arena's A–Z guide before you go, since rules vary by event.

Capacity and history

Chartway Arena seats 8,639 for basketball and 9,520 for concerts. The arena counts 7,319 fixed, cushioned seats plus the 862 upper club seats, and ODU Athletics lists 62 courtside seats and 85 wheelchair locations, each paired with a companion seat. Michigan-based Rossetti designed it as part of the University Village development, a 75-acre mix of shops, offices, labs and housing beside campus, and Oak View Group has run it since it opened in 2002.

The arena hosted an NBA preseason game between the Philadelphia 76ers and New Orleans Hornets on October 20, 2003, and first- and second-round games of the 2012 NCAA women's tournament. Its largest crowd came for Elton John on March 18, 2011; the show sold out in under four hours, and about 1,000 extra seats were added. Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, B. B. King and Green Day have also played here, and All Elite Wrestling taped television shows in the arena in November 2021. A Daktronics video system was installed in 2015.

Sources

• Wikipedia – Chartway Arena
• Chartway Arena – About us
• Chartway Arena – A–Z guide
• Chartway Arena – Directions and parking
• ODU Sports – Chartway Arena
• WAVY – ODU arena to be renamed Chartway Arena (June 2019)
• Stadium Journey – Chartway Arena