There was a time, within very recent memory, when a trip to Norfolk was a death sentence for a visiting team’s RPI. Chartway Arena didn’t just host basketball games; it hosted an environment—a provincial, suffocating, and incredibly loud testament to what a high-functioning mid-major program looks like. For decades, Old Dominion wasn't just a member of the mid-major elite; it was the standard-bearer.
Today, that reputation is in the rearview mirror, and the engine is stalling.
The Danger of Apathy
If you want to understand the dire state of ODU basketball, don’t just look at the scoreboard; look at the seats. The most dangerous emotion in sports isn't anger—it’s apathy. When fans are screaming for a coach’s head, they still care. When they simply stop showing up, stop wearing the gear, and stop checking the box scores, the program is in a terminal tailspin. We are currently witnessing the worst five-year stretch in the history of ODU basketball, and the last two years under Mike Jones haven’t been a rebuilding phase—they’ve been a surrender.
The math is as cold as the atmosphere in the arena: This program is drifting into irrelevance.
The "Lame Duck" Excuse
The administration will point to the "Monarch Man" factor, leaning on Mike Jones’ history as a standout player and the support of a vocal alumni base. They’ll point to the calendar and note that Athletic Director Wood Selig is set to retire in December 2026, arguing that a "lame duck" AD shouldn't be the one to pull the trigger on a legacy-defining hire. They’ll talk about the need for increased revenue sharing before they can attract a "big fish."
But those aren't reasons to wait; they are excuses for institutional paralysis. This isn't just about X’s and O’s or a local hero not making the grade. This is about a fundamental breach of the contract between a university administration and its stakeholders. When you look at the balance sheet, the "wait and see" approach doesn't look like patience—it looks like fiscal negligence.
Old Dominion’s athletic department isn’t some self-sustaining island; it’s fueled by over $32 million in student fees and millions more from a donor base that is currently being asked to fund a freefall. To keep a program in this state of disrepair is to effectively set that money on fire. The administration has a fiduciary responsibility to ensure that the "front porch" of the university—the most visible marketing tool ODU owns—isn't an eyesore that drives away prospective students and major gifts.
The Cost of Inaction
Every game played in a half-empty arena is a lost opportunity to generate the kind of "winning energy" that neighbors like VCU and JMU have weaponized. VCU didn’t become a household name because of their academic marketing budget; they parlayed basketball success into national prestige and a surge in applications. Even JMU, just a few hours away, has fundamentally altered its institutional brand by aggressively chasing excellence. These schools didn’t wait for the "perfect time" to be bold. They understood that excellence isn't a goal you reach when the timing is convenient; it’s a choice you make every single day.
To let a "lame duck" timeline dictate the future of this program is to admit that the administration is more concerned with administrative comfort than competitive results. You don't wait for a 2026 retirement date when the house is currently on fire. Mike Jones is a legendary Monarch, but he has not shown the tactical or developmental chops to win at this level. Keeping him in place doesn't show loyalty; it shows a lack of a commitment to excellence. It tells every donor and recruit that winning is a secondary priority in Norfolk.
The Bottom Line
ODU has weathered its fair share of institutional headwinds lately. The university needs a win. It needs the energy that only a packed, rocking arena can provide. While a coaching change and a competitive salary pool are expensive, they are a net positive when the seats are full and the donations start flowing back in.
The administration needs to show a sense of urgency that matches the dire state of the program. They need to prove to the fans that the "Standard" still means something. It’s time to stop making excuses, stop hiding behind retirement timelines, and start acting like a program that actually expects to win.
The Monarchs need a new leader, and they need one now.
ODU Unfiltered covers Old Dominion University athletics and institutional affairs with the honesty the official channels won't provide.