ODU Tailgating at S.B. Ballard Stadium: Lots, Times & Rules

Quick answers

What time does ODU tailgating open?

Tailgating areas open 4 hours before kickoff, and Kaufman Mall opens at the same time. Tailgating isn't allowed at halftime or during the game, and fans have to clear the lots within 2 hours after it ends.

Can you grill at ODU tailgates?

Yes, in university surface lots and the set areas of Kaufman Mall. Grills must sit at least 1 foot above the pavement, gas grills are limited to 10 gallons of propane per vehicle, charcoal goes in the marked receptacles, and open pit fires are banned.

Can you drink at ODU tailgates?

ODU enforces university rules and Virginia law: no alcohol for anyone under 21. Glass, kegs, party balls, drinking games and drinking devices are all banned, and no outside alcohol goes into the stadium. Kaufman Mall has a cash-bar beer garden.

Do you need a ticket to tailgate at ODU?

ODU doesn't post a ticket rule. Campus surface lots need a vehicle pass from the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation, and Kaufman Mall's pregame events are part of the game day setup.

How do you buy parking at ODU?

Reserved tailgate spots come with an Old Dominion Athletic Foundation hang tag. Without one, park free in the 43rd and Bluestone garage or the Constant Center garages on 43rd and 45th Streets.

The game-day timeline

4 hrs beforeTailgating lots and Kaufman Mall open, with live music, food trucks, a kids zone and the beer garden
2 hrs 30 min beforeMonarch Marching Band plays Kaufman Mall
2 hrs 15 min beforeMonarch March: band and spirit squads lead the team into the stadium
2 hrs beforeSouth Gate opens for suite and loge ticket holders
90 min beforeAll other gates open
KickoffTailgating stops. None at halftime or during the game
2 hrs afterLots must be empty

Where to park

Campus surface lots are reserved tailgate parking with a foundation pass. The garages by Chartway Arena are free.

Closest lots: Silver and Black, between the stadium and Hampton Blvd off 49th St.
Across Hampton: Blue and Pink off 49th St, Burgundy off 49th St and Gold off 47th St.
West side: Beige, Gray and Purple lots, the Red and Yellow garages, and the Brown and White lots toward Powhatan Ave.
Free: 43rd and Bluestone garage, and the Constant Center garages on 43rd and 45th Streets.
Your space: Tailgate inside your parking space and don't block traffic. Pegging tents isn't allowed.
Accessible: First level of the Red Garage, at 49th St and Bluestone Ave. Call the box office at 757-683-4444 for more.

S.B. Ballard Stadium game-day parking, simplified

See the official Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium parking map

Every reserved lot is off Hampton Blvd: turn on 49th St for Silver, Black, Blue, Pink and Burgundy, 47th St for Gold, and 43rd St for the west side lots and the free garages.
Students parked in tailgate lots must move on game day. Enforcement can start at 5 a.m. or the evening before, and cars left behind get towed.
No pass? The free garages by Chartway Arena are open to everyone.

The rules

Rules last verified Oct 15, 2026 against odusports.com, odu.edu and sunbeltsports.org.

ODU's rules are specific, and the big one is the clock: tailgating stops at kickoff.

Grills: Surface lots and set areas of Kaufman Mall only, at least 1 foot off the pavement. Gas grills max 10 gallons of propane per vehicle. No open pits.
Alcohol: University rules and Virginia law, strictly enforced. Nobody under 21 gets served.
Not allowed: Glass, kegs, party balls, drinking games, gas generators, household furniture, animals other than service animals, and bikes, scooters or skateboards.
Tents: No pegging tents in the parking lots.
Your space: Stay inside the space for your vehicle and keep traffic moving.
When it ends: At kickoff. No tailgating at halftime or during the game, and lots empty 2 hours after the game.
Bags at the gate: Clear bag policy. No backpacks, coolers, outside food or drink, or umbrellas.
Gates open: 90 minutes before kickoff (2 hours for suites and loge). No re-entry.

Compare the rules in all 173 guides →

Before you go

ODU football parking and tailgating 2026 ODU football vs. JMU Gameday Central ODU Transportation and Parking Services event parking ODU stadium guidelines

Official pages. Rules change; check them the week of the game.

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Where the party is

Kaufman Mall is the front porch at ODU: a big green lawn south of the stadium with a band, food trucks, a beer garden and a kids zone from 4 hours out. The lots fill in around it, and the whole thing shuts down at kickoff.

The free party

Kaufman Mall

Opens 4 hours before kickoff with live music, food trucks, a kids zone and a cash-bar beer garden showing college football. Grills are allowed only in its set areas.

The moment

The Monarch March

About 2 hours 15 minutes before kickoff, the Monarch Marching Band and the spirit team lead the team into the stadium.

The close lots

Silver and Black lots

Reserved tailgate lots right next to the stadium off 49th St and Hampton Blvd.

Know a setup worth showing off? Nominate your tailgate.

What to eat

Grills are allowed in the surface lots, and Kaufman Mall has food trucks if you'd rather not cook.

Getting out

Hampton Blvd carries most of the traffic out of the north end of campus. Your options, best first:

Walk back to the free garages. The Constant Center garages on 43rd and 45th Streets sit south of the stadium by Chartway Arena.
Use your lot's street. Each reserved lot has its own access street off Hampton Blvd: 49th, 47th or 43rd.
Hang back and pack up. Lots stay open for 2 hours after the game, so there's no rush to fold the tent.
Skip this
Pull onto Hampton at the final whistle. You and every other car on campus.

First time here?

Tailgating opens 4 hours before kickoff and stops at kickoff.
No glass, no kegs, no drinking games.
Grills must sit 1 foot off the pavement. No gas generators.
No pass? Park free in the Constant Center garages.
Kaufman Mall has the band, food trucks and the beer garden.
Clear bag only. Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff, no re-entry.

Visiting? How to join a tailgate

Head to Kaufman Mall first: it's the official pregame spot with music and food from 4 hours out. Then walk the lots in your colors with something to share, and say hello before you step into a setup.

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