Maestri Field – New Orleans Privateers
- Matt Colville
- Apr 4
- 9 min read
Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
Maestri Field
6801 Franklin Ave
New Orleans, LA 70122
Year Opened: 1977
Capacity: 2,900
Miracle on the Lakeshore
The University of New Orleans was built on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain using the property and buildings of the former Naval Air Station New Orleans. Originally called LSU-New Orleans, it welcomed its first students in 1958 – in 1974 it officially became the University of New Orleans. Over the years it grew in size, and today represents the city as the only public college In New Orleans.
The Privateer baseball program began as a D2 program in 1970; the legendary Ron Maestri took over as head coach two years later, bringing a new era to the UNO program. Under his guidance the school made an appearance in the Division 2 World Series before transitioning to Division 1 the next year, joining the Sun Belt Conference in 1976, and winning two Conference titles in 1978 and 1979. The Privateers would be a powerhouse in the early in 1980s, and in 1984 UNO made history as the first college from Louisiana to make it to the College World Series. UNO even produced a Golden Spikes Award Winner in Augie Schmidt, as the best college baseball player in the country.
UNO has faced several challenges in recent years, mainly to the Covid pandemic, but also the college never really recovered from Hurricane Katrina – the current enrollment is 5,400 students compared to the average of 15,000 students pre-Katrina. After Katrina there was talk of moving the athletics program back to D2, but ultimately the school stayed in Division 1 and joined the Southland Conference in 2014. Coach Maestri came out of retirement in 2014 after a 28-year coaching absence, coaching for 2 years before retiring again. Current Angels skipper Ron Washington was his assistant coach in 2015.
Food and Beverage 3
There is one concession stand located on the plaza at the front entrance; hamburgers, nachos, hot dogs, popcorn, and a unique item of Frito chili pie round out the menu. At Maestri Field you will find some of the cheapest concession prices in all of D1 baseball, with prices for most items ranging between $3 and $7. Bottled sodas are $5 with Coca-Cola being the official soft drink provider of UNO. Alcohol is priced kind of high, with canned beer selling for $10 – the beers offered are Michelob Ultra, Bud Light, Stella Artois, and Cutwater canned cocktails. A few local beers offered include Holy Roller and Paradise Park IPA, brewed by Urban South Brewery, which is located in New Orlean’s Lower Garden District.
Atmosphere 4
Coach Maestri is the namesake of beautiful Maestri Field at Privateer Park, which opened in 1977. The stadium sits about a mile east of campus, a part of the university sports complex that includes all the school’s athletic facilities – on the grounds around the park you will find the tennis and beach volleyball courts, as well as UNO Lakefront Arena, home of the school’s basketball program, which looms over the field from behind home plate.
Maestri Field has been renovated several times since Katrina, with the most recent being in 2014, so this is basically a 10-year-old ballpark. The main entrance is behind home plate, where you will walk under an iron gate welcoming you to Privateer Park. Gayle and Tom Benson Plaza at the main entrance doubles as the concourse, named after the late Saints/Pelicans owner and his wife. There is a pop-up trailer to the left, where you will purchase your tickets and buy a good selection of UNO merch; in the trailer you’ll also find the one concession stand, as well as a neat history display dedicated to the program. All the school’s regional appearances, conference championships, All-Americans, and the 16 former players who have gone on to play in the Major Leagues, are recognized in the display. The UNO colors of blue and white are everywhere, from the signage in Benson Plaza to the outfield wall pads and chairback seating.
The main grandstand features seating for about 800 people, and extends from home plate to the dugouts; every seat in the grandstand behind home plate is a blue chairback. The good news is the seats are comfortable, with cupholders and plenty of leg room, while the bad news is that nothing in the ballpark is covered, so there is nowhere to get shade. Down the right and left field lines is metal bleacher seating for a couple of hundred, and also down the left field line is a tent with a full spread of buffet-style food items for season ticket holders. Note that if you sit in the left field side bleachers your view of home plate may be obstructed by the tent.
The field dimensions are 330-405-330, and along the outfield wall you’ll find a basic blue wall pad with just a few local sponsors, while in left field there is a large scoreboard with a small videoboard. Beyond the outfield you’ll find several hills, which are actually ridges that are part of the levee system that helps protect New Orleans from constant flooding.
Neighborhood 3
The UNO campus and athletic facilities are located in the Gentilly neighborhood of the 7th Ward, on the Lake Pontchartrain side of New Orleans, away from many of the tourist spots in the city, such as the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. However, you can still find plenty to do in Gentilly if you want to experience a quieter side of the city, with less traffic and more locals. Just beyond the outfield wall you’ll find many people fishing, boating and walking along the over 6 miles of paved walking trails, along the south shore of Lake Ponchtratrain. Make sure you check out the Mardi Gras fountain along the trail, which lights up in Mardi Gras colors at night, or you can check out the remains of old Fort St. John, an abandoned Spanish-controlled fort located along the lake and Bayou St. John. While riding the trail you can also see the levees that failed New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina; getting an up-close look at these levees, which were a scene of so much destruction, is a surreal experience in itself.
Another popular spot to check out in the area is City Park – if it’s a gorgeous day out you can spend all day in one of the largest public parks in the US, and the 20th most-visited park in the country. There’s so much to do here in City Park; if interested in sports there are two (regular) golf courses, a disc golf course, multiple stadiums, and miles of trails through the bayous that flow into City Park. Or, if you are interested in museums and art there is the New Orleans Museum of Art and the outdoor sculpture garden. If you have kids or are visiting with family you might want to check out Carousel Gardens Amusement Park and Storyland, a small amusement park with a few rides, roller coasters, and a storybook theme. City Park also provides a romantic getaway if you want to take a gondola ride or a duck boat ride through the bayous of City Park. There is also access here to Bayou St. John, which is the main tributary through this area of the city. Bayou St. John is a popular spot for kayakers and people canoeing during the spring and summer months. City Park is also a streetcar stop, in case you want to take the streetcar into the French Quarter or the Garden District to see the other tourist areas in New Orleans.
Another cool attraction to check out in the 7th Ward is Fairgrounds Race Track, the second-oldest horse track in the country. If you come to a weekend series at UNO during February and March there is a good chance that the track will be hosting horse races in preparation for the Louisiana Derby, usually held on the second to last Saturday in March. Alternatively, if you come to a game during April it is more likely the fairgrounds will be hosting a Jazz Fest event.
For restaurants and places to eat near UNO’s campus, you will find plenty of local spots and dives that make New Orleans so great. There’s so many to name, but a few near UNO include Opelousas Seafood and The Original Fiorella’s Café. Another one of my favorite’s nearby is Walker BBQ, famous for their BBQ po’ boys, while closer to the fairgrounds and the city you’ll find a wider selection of restaurants like Parkway Tavern, Liuzza’s at the Track, Café Degas, and Seahorse Saloon. City Park also has a Café du Monde, which is a lot quieter and less crowded than the popular French Quarter location.
Fans 2
The Privateers average about 300-500 fans per game, which is kind of disappointing considering the history of the program. I also figured there would be more students at games, but the student section here is non-existent. The one plus is that there is plenty of room to move around, and you can sit wherever you want and have entire rows to yourself. Just don’t expect any between-inning promotions or giveaways; the focus here is strictly on the game.
The few fans that did show up are knowledgeable about baseball and diehards of the UNO program. I also talked to several older gentlemen who’ve been coming to games here for over 40 years, including Coach Maestri, who still shows up to support the Privateers when he can. You’ll also find a large number of visiting fans who show up, as many of the Southland Conference schools are within a few hours. For example, the most recent game I was at had a large number of Northwestern State fans who made the trip from upstate to take advantage of a spring weekend in New Orleans. When Southeastern Louisiana, Nicholls State, Tulane, or McNeese State visit you can expect a good number of visiting fans – Tulane and UNO meet up every year in the Pelican Cup, while Southeastern Louisiana and UNO play every year in the Pontchartrain Bowl.
Access 4
Maestri Field is located on the north side of the city, away from most of the tourist sites in New Orleans like the French Quarter and Bourbon Street. There are several ways to get to the baseball stadium, but the best and safest way would be take the Franklin Ave/Elysian Fields exit off Interstate 610 – travel north for about three miles and you’ll see UNO Lakefront Arena, with Maestri Field right next to it. Your GPS may advise that you go through some rough areas in New Orleans East to get to campus, but I would not go that route, especially at night – don’t take the Chef Blvd or Downman Road exits.
Once on the grounds you’ll find plenty of parking; I was able to park in the lot closest to the stadium, but there is additional parking near UNO Lakefront Arena and the school’s tennis center. Once inside Maestri Field you are free to move around and sit wherever you want. There are also not long lines at the concession and merch stands here.
Return on Investment 4
All tickets can be had for $12, and you are free to sit wherever you want, including in the chairbacks. Parking is free near UNO Lakefront Arena and the school’s tennis center, but in regard to concessions I would recommend getting something to eat at one of the many restaurants in New Orleans if you can help it, instead of eating at the ballpark.
The level of baseball you are getting to see in the Southland Conference is pretty good, with several of the players on the field, either playing for UNO or their opponent, usually getting drafted. I considered this a good return on investment – you can't beat D1 baseball in a cool city like New Orleans either.
Extras 3
The Privateers made 14 regional appearances in Division 1 and two in Division 2, with their most recent regional appearance in 2008. UNO also earned six conference titles in baseball, although none since joining the Southland Conference in 2014. In addition, UNO has had 16 players make it to the Big Leagues, with the most prominent alum being Braves skipper Brian Snitker, who played at UNO in 1976 and 1977.
The Privateers best player ever in the baseball program was Augie Schmidt, who played for UNO from 1980-1982. He won the 1982 Golden Spikes Award as the best player in college baseball, and would be drafted # 2 overall by Toronto in 1982, bouncing around the minors before retiring in 1986. The Privateers best season was in 1984, when they advanced to Omaha for their first and only appearance in the College World Series; UNO made history as the first school from Louisiana to ever advance to the CWS.
One extra for Maestri Field hosting minor league baseball for four seasons in the early 1990s – from 1993-1996 the stadium was home to the New Orleans Zephyrs, the Triple A affiliate of the Brewers. Jeff Cirillo, Jose Valentin, Mike Matheny. and B. J. Surhoff are a few of the big names who played here on the way to the show.
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