It's about having a scheduling partner. It's why we had the long series with ECU, which is now ending in favor of ODU.

Basically, the AD can't go out there and schedule games like Wisconsin, Penn State, etc. without having some kind of solid partner on the schedule. Whereas we used to have an 8 game schedule in an 11 game season (7 Big East games plus UVa), we now have an 8 game schedule in a 12 game season. Note how the ECU series picked up in 2007, 2 years after the 12 game regular season kicked in and we stared realizing what a pain in the rear it was to schedule 4 OOC games a season.

The ODU series allows Tech to have a solid dance partner OOC. No, ODU isn't a spectacular OOC opponent. But ODU allows Tech to have a clearer OOC schedule while still giving Tech a partner who will likely be fine with our game being bumped on short notice. If VT got an offer to play Oregon to kick off the 2019 season a year from now, Tech's options would be to pay off Furman (which costs money for a program that needs to pinch pennies) or to ask Furman to move to the second week, ODU to move the 2019 game to the end of the contract (2032), all of which will cost VT considerably less than paying off Furman.

She's not the girl we marry, she's not a steady girlfriend even. She's understanding if you ditch her one weekend to go on a date with another girl. ODU is our stag date.

Don't like VT having to schedule a stag date? Fine. Then don't bitch about forking over more money and be ready to pay even more for what you're already getting. Because this is what VT has to do at current budgeting levels to make the Wisconsin, Penn State, etc. games work financially. And playing at ODU every once in a while is the price we have to pay to get that contract.