FY2023 Chartway Arena Annual Report

Chartway Arena at the Ted Constant Convocation Center

Mission Statement

To provide aggressive strategic marketing with high quality services to enhance the Chartway Arena & Old Dominion University brands resulting in being the best live entertainment venue in Hampton Roads. We will deliver on the following:

• Provide a diverse event schedule that provides entertainment to everyone in the Hampton Roads community.

• Collaboration with every department on campus, the city of Norfolk, clients, sponsors, and media partners in providing value-added expertise, strategic guidance, and exemplary customer service in support of Old Dominion University's mission.

• Create a first-class experience for all guests attending events.

• High standards for venue cleanliness and maintenance.

• Drive revenue! Creating new opportunities utilizing industry trends.

• Utilizing new technology to create a better event environment.

• Enhance the overall community experience on campus.

• Accountability for sustainability.

• Operating under the highest level of professional integrity.

• Budget conscience and revenue generating decision making.

mike's spot light

On behalf of Oak View Group (OVG360), I am delighted to present the FY23 annual report for Chartway Arena at the Ted Constant Convocation Center, the premier sports and entertainment destination in the state of Virginia.

We saw a bright start to the new year with the installation of the new exterior lighting project. From day one, the new exterior lighting system significantly enhanced our overall guest experience. Chartway Arena can now be lit in a multitude of colors and schemes to celebrate various occasions. For instance, after a win on the court, fans now exit the venue to the iconic song by Cool & the Gang “Celebration” with a light show commemorating the win. Videos of the exterior lighting shows were eye-catching which led to being featured by numerous media outlets including all three local TV stations, The Virginian Pilot, and on social media.

The glitz and glamor continued throughout the year. In FY23 we hosted 200+ events and saw over 400,000 guests come through our doors. One of the major highlights of the year happened on October 26 when we hosted AEW Dynamite live on TNT. While we hosted a near capacity crowd, an additional 900,000 people watched live on TNT making it the most watched program on cable TV for that date. National publicity for Old Dominion University and Chartway Arena was valued at over $116,000.

Spotlighting the year, we hosted numerous shows including Bobby Brown (our highest revenue generating event of the year), the legendary Harlem Globetrotters, Jo Koy, Fantasia, Koe Wetzel, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, GloRilla, country music legends Clay Walker & Tracy Lawrence, Blippi, and Sesame Street Live. Contemporary Christian artists shined this year in Chartway Arena. Starting in November we welcomed to the Chartway Arena stage MercyMe, followed by TobyMac in February, and in April we hosted For King + Country.

I am proud to announce that Chartway Arena was once again ranked as one of the top five arenas in the United States by Pollstar magazine in 2022 and is on pace to receive the same honor in 2023. While FY23 was a colorful year for Chartway Arena, we could not have gained our success without the support of Old Dominion University and the Hampton Roads community. After 21 years, I am excited to say that Chartway Arena is still glowing, vibrant, and radiant as ever.

Mike Fryling, District General Manager

OVERVIEW OF CHARTWAY ARENA

The Chartway Arena is a premier mid-sized arena located on the campus of Old Dominion University. Operated and managed by OVG360, this elite multipurpose arena offers over 8,000 seats and is increased to a 9,000-seat capacity for special events such as commencements, concerts, and family shows. In addition to the versatile space in the arena, the Chartway Arena features a 9,100 square foot multi-functional room which can be divided into five separate banquet areas to accommodate any sized gathering. The Chartway Arena is home to the Old Dominion University Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams.

In addition to managing Chartway Arena, OVG360 has provided all gameday operations for ODU Football at Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium since the program’s rebirth in 2009. At the conclusion of the 2018 ODU Football season, transformation from Foreman Field to Kornblau Field began. OVG360 assisted with the development of the new stadium by consulting on several aspects of the design, FF&E, event budgeting, staffing, gameday logistics, and emergency operations. OVG360 is proud to have been part of the process to usher in the new era of ODU Football.

OVERVIEW OF S.B. BALLARD STADIUM

OVG360 is proud to be a partner of Old Dominion University Athletics by providing its industry-leading experience and expertise in several aspects of the Monarch gameday experience for ODU Football. OVG360’s stadium management includes gameday operations, ticketing, in-game audio/visual production, event parking, housekeeping, premium hospitality services, and more.

In May of 2023, the OVG360 team worked with the President’s Office and other University departments to host the 2023 ODU Spring Commencement ceremony for all undergraduate students at Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium. This memorable event brought new challenges and new opportunities to present one of the University's most important events in a new way.

OVERVIEW OF OVG360

Making a Positive Disruption in the Entertainment & Hospitality Industry

OVG360 is a full-service venue management company specializing in sports, live entertainment, and hospitality. Our portfolio of 300 + client-partners spans arenas, stadiums, convention centers, performing arts centers, cultural institutions, and state fairs around the globe. Service-oriented and driven by social responsibility, OVG360 helps facilities drive value through excellence and innovation in food services, venue operations, booking and content development, sustainable operations, public health and safety, parking, premium and corporate sales, marketing and more.

Experience & Approach

Our approach to operating is unapparelled. Maintaining a focus on creating premium content that promises to deliver a unique guest experience is what drives our team. The depth of our resources, industry experience and relationships are unmatched throughout the industry. Our team looks forward to capitalizing on our resources to help clients achieve their goals and obtain unapparelled results.

Venue Management

OVG360 has one simple goal – to provide venues with customized services that produce results. Every venue, market, and venue owner is unique; each has different characteristics, missions, and goals. Therefore, OVG 360 believes each venue requires and deserves customized strategies and solutions to maximize its success. Our services are unrivaled and designed to deliver unprecedented results.

WHO WE ARE OVG360

INVESTING IN THE GUEST EXPERIENCE

In November, 2022, Chartway Arena undertook a project that didn't just enhance the curb appeal of the venue but also added an exterior feature that has connected with guests both entering and leaving the venue as well as the community and passersby.

Chesapeake-based company, Coastal Christmas Décor, was contracted to replace and reimagine Chartway Arena's aging outdoor and seasonal decorative lighting. The resulting plan added nearly 100 customizable LED light fixtures throughout the exterior of the arena. These LED lights have color-changing technology which make it easy to select customizable static colors or color-changing scenes that include timer options and the ability to program light sequences year-round. The new fixtures uplight trees, wash down across the walls of the building, and can even be found illuminating the signature crown at the top of the arena.

Old Dominion University's investment, which exceeded $235,000, has been utilized to cheer on the Monarchs during home basketball games (don't miss the 'Celebration' sequence following an ODU win), honor our country on national holidays, and show support to other universities in times of tragedy.

Based on feedback from both event attendees and the local media, it is clear that people have taken notice and appreciate the upgrade. This investment has helped Chartway Arena to become a beacon of light on the ODU campus, both figuratively and literally.

ALL ELITE WRESTLING

October 26, 2022

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) brought the nationally-televised Dynamite show back to Chartway Arena for an actionpacked night.

MAZE FEAT. FRANKIE

November 19, 2022

Multi-platinum legendary R&B group, MAZE featuring Frankie Beverly performed with special guests The Whispers, Freddie Jackson and Tom Browne at The Legends R&B Showdown.

CLAY WALKER TRACY LAWRENCE +

November 3, 2022

The country music icons shared the stage for an evening of storytelling and hits.

TOBYMAC

February 26, 2023

Christian superstar TOBYMAC brought a full night of music, fun, and worship along with support from fan favorite CROWDER, Cochren & Co, Tasha Layton, Jon Reddick & Terrian.

March 10, 2023

Koe Wetzel energized fans with his unique "blend of rock and country." His fans came to party as the show generated the highest per-cap concessions revenue in Chartway Arena history.

KOE WETZEL JO KOY

March 16, 2023

Record-breaking comedian Jo Koy made his fourth appearance at Chartway Arena following the release of his hit Netflix special and a feature film.

March 25, 2023

The World Famous Harlem Globetrotters once again dazzled fans with their signature blend of basketball and showmanship and netted the third highest HG gross in the arena's history.

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS FOR KING & COUNTRY

April 22, 2023

Christian pop duo FOR KING + COUNTRY brought their 'What Are We Waiting For ?' The Tour | Part II with brand new music from their latest album and fresh stage production.

BOBBY BROWN

May 13, 2023

The Mother's Day 90's R&B Ladies Night lineup featuring Bobby Brown, Dru Hill, 112, Silk, and Hi-Five was the highest-grossing show of the year.

CHARTWAY ARENA RANKED TOP 15 IN THE WORLD FOR ON-CAMPUS ARENAS IN 2022 POLLSTAR YEAR-END REPORT

Norfolk, VA – The OVG360-managed Chartway Arena, located on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, is proud to announce the venue has been ranked one of the top performing arenas in the world by Pollstar in their 2022 Year-End Top Venue report. The events industry publication’s year-end report highlighted ticket sales for top tours, arenas, festivals and amphitheaters in 2022.

In the listings, Chartway Arena ranked in the Top 10 among on-campus University venues in the US, Top 15 amongon-campus University venues worldwide, #1 among on-campus University venue under 10,000 seats in the state of Virginia, and #169 among all venues worldwide.

Notable events that took place Chartway Arena in 2022 include New Edition, The No Cap Comedy Tour, Jo Koy, Playboi Carti, Gabriel Iglesias, Clay Walker & Tracy Lawrence, All Elite Wrestling, Jeff Dunham, Billy Strings, The Harlem Globetrotters, MercyMe, KEM & Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, and Fantasia.

“I would like to extend my gratitude to Old Dominion University and the entire Hampton Roads community for continuing to support our events,” says OVG360’s Mike Fryling, District General Manager of Chartway Arena. “We are excited for the future, and we look forward to providing top tier entertainment options for our community in 2023.”

OUR VENUE PARTNERS

The team at Chartway Arena understands that our success comes from both inside and outside of the venue. We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge some of our key partners.

Old Dominion University - A proud partner of Old Dominion University since 2002, OVG360 works hand in hand with ODU leadership and staff to provide world-class experiences at Chartway Arena. We are proud members of the ODU community and look forward to the continued partnership for years to come.

Chartway Credit Union - ODU and Chartway FCU signed a 10-year branding and sponsorship agreement and the venue name officially changed to Chartway Arena in September 2019. This partnership reinvigorated the venue by providing a sleek, new branding for Chartway Arena.

Aramark

Paciolan

Aramark - Aramark holds the exclusive catering rights at Old Dominion University and Chartway Arena. In addition to the numerous concession stands that wrap the second floor of the venue, Aramark caters to the luxury suites on the club level and specialty events held in the multi-purpose room. Aramark also operates the very successful Starbucks location inside the venue.

StubHub - Chartway Arena is proud to partner with StubHub, the 'Official Fan to Fan Ticket Marketplace' of Chartway Arena. This exciting partnership with StubHub allows fans more freedom in pricing, number of ticket listings and reach to ticket buyers through a convenient integration with the venue's ticketing system.

Prolific 1 - Prolific 1 (P1) is a leader in ticket distribution and insights for live entertainment rights-holders. P1 has made a substantial impact on the venue's ticket sales and revenue generation.

Paciolan - Paciolan is a leader in ticketing, fundraising, marketing, analytics, and technology solutions powering more than 500 live entertainment organizations that sell over 120 million tickets per year. Chartway Arena utilized Paciolan's software to sell tickets to all Chartway Arena and ODU Athletics events.

Chartway CreditUnion

Prolific1

Stubhub

STARBUCKS AT CHARTWAY

The partnership between the teams at Chartway Arena and Aramark has continued to be a proven success in the second full year of operation of the popular Starbucks location in the arena. The store's gross sales for FY23 has surpassed FY22's numbers by $84,000. Net Commissions to Chartway Arena's bottom line exceeded $100,000.

The year-over-year increase was fueled by a fivefigure jump in gross sales for five out of twelve months. This trend shows great promise that this venture will continue to grow as a favorite food and beverage option among event-goers and the surrounding community alike.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media continues to be a dominant force in how we market and communicate. Artists, event promoters, and venues tap into these resources to promote their brands and sell tickets

Chartway Arena's Social Media Accounts

By the Numbers

Facebook 22,000 followers

Twitter 7,000 followers

Instagram 3,700 followers

LOOKING AHEAD FY 2024

FY24 - Fiscal Year 24 is getting out of the gate with a strong start for Chartway Arena. The summer of 2023 will feature six ticketed concerts, including neo-soul icon Erykah Badu, bluegrass guitarist Billy Strings, folk rock band The Avett Brothers, popular Christian artists Phil Wickham and Brandon Lake, Keith Sweat with other R&B hitmakers, and the Grey Day Tour - all performing at the venue from July through the first week of September.

The new year will feature a variety of events from a mix of returning promoters and event organizers who will be bringing their business to the arena for the first time. Concerts, family shows, trade shows, meetings, luncheons, and more will join ODU Men's and Women's basketball on the busy schedule for the 2023-2024 season.

In addition to fulfilling a full slate of events, the team at Chartway Arena is hard at work dreaming up and implementing new revenue streams to help offset the rising costs of operating and maintaining a facility that has been successfully entertaining the Hampton Roads community for over 20 years. The focus will be on maximizing revenue opportunities at each event held in the venue as well as identifying new ventures that can contribute to the bottom line on non-event days.

We look forward to another year of creating special memories for our guests and managing the crown jewel of Old Dominion University.