Photos by Matt Colville, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
Shrine on Airline 6000 Airline Dr Metairie, LA 70003
Year Opened: 1997
Capacity: 10,000
L’or de la Nouvelle-Orléans (The Gold of New Orleans)
In 2018, Major League Rugby began its first season as the United States premiere professional rugby league with players from all over the world – the league was formed with the mission of driving North American rugby to the highest levels. Seven teams began that inaugural year, with the Nola Gold beginning play as one of the seven original franchises.
As of 2024, the league is made up of 12 teams throughout the country, played under the more traditional rugby union rules of 15 players on the pitch for each team. Rugby is no stranger to the most diverse city in the country, with the amateur New Orleans Rugby Club developing youth players and playing semi-pro matches dating back to 1973.
For the first two years the Gold played at a local high school football stadium, but when the New Orleans Baby Cakes/Zephyrs packed their bags and moved to Wichita after the 2019 minor league baseball season, it meant that the 10,000-seat stadium dubbed the ‘Shrine on Airline’ would be without a tenant for the first time since opening in 1997.
Seeing the need to move to a bigger facility, the Gold moved their operations to the Shrine on Airline beginning in 2020. Now nicknamed the ‘Gold Mine on Airline’ the results have been met with rave reviews – a passionate group of supporters combined with a unique setting. Factored in with the spirit and culture of New Orleans attending a Nola Gold match a must a must-visit during the summer months while in the Crescent City.
Food and Beverage 3
There are three permanent concession stands on the concourse, two on the west side of the pitch and one behind the south end zone. The basics can be found at the stands here, and prices are fairly reasonable – hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, onion rings, pulled pork sandwiches, pulled pork fries and tacos (chicken and steak) round out the menu, with prices ranging from $7-$11.
A wide selection of alcohol and drinks can also be found; a 16 oz bottled beer will go for $7.29, while a large canned beer costs $11.29. Ready-to-drink cocktails and New Orleans-style daiquiris can be found for $8.29, and there are also two indoor bars with small seating areas set up on the concourse as well. The party shack also features a pop-up bar.
Atmosphere 4
From the moment you arrive and see the crowd of tents and people tailgating in the parking lot, you know you are going to be in for an interesting experience. Much like a college football game, you'll find people set up with tents grilling out and drinking during pregame. In a city as culturally rich as New Orleans, you'll also see people flying various flags from their respective countries – I saw some people from Ireland, as well as a group from Australia tailgating on the south side of the parking lot.
The Gold Mine has two main entrances; one at the former home plate entrance and the other located where the right field entrance used to be. At the home plate entrance is the team store, where they have a ton of different merchandise on sale, while where the right field entrance used to be is the party shack, a covered area with picnic tables, and a few pop-up bars. A children's playground is also located near the party shack entrance as well.
The Gold Mine has an interesting design and a unique setup due to its former baseball configuration – the pitch faces north and south, from left field to first baseline. The stadium is a two-deck facility, with a covered concourse underneath extending from behind the south end zone to the west side of the pitch, which was the former third baseline. Above that is the press box and several suites, while in the north end zone is a rather small video board showing replays of the game. Beyond that, there isn't much of a view except a busy Airline Drive and a Harley-Davidson shop.
The rugby field is much larger than a traditional soccer field, so the field extends to where the outfield used to be. The party shack also has field entrances where fans can go down on the field and get rugby lessons from a few of the players and coaches showing the rules of the game. There also used to be a pool located where the party shack is, but the pool is now drained – it would be nice if they could bring this back in the future, as this was a big hit back in the days of the Zephyrs.
It's kind of a festive atmosphere here before and during the match. A local band was set up on the concourse playing pre-match music while playing homage to the New Orleans jazz scene a brass band playing in the party shack area.
Also, right before the match starts fans are free to line up behind a second-line jazz parade that marches into the stadium and around the field, after which fans can go up to their seats. Trombones, tubas, and saxophones round out the brass band, complete with a man dancing with an umbrella, a familiar sight on the New Orleans jazz scene. The mascot King Creole, a giant dressed in a king outfit, can be found walking the concourse and dancing with the brass band as well.
The gameplay is pretty quick with two 40-minute halves, and the action on the field is non-stop as well. Music plays during the match and pyrotechnics go off whenever the Gold score. The staff also does plenty of promotions in between time outs such as t-shirt tosses, Mardi Gras bead throws, and games for the kids on the field – there was even a wedding proposal during the most recent match.
Neighborhood 3
The Shrine on Airline is about a 20-minute drive west from the tourist sites of New Orleans in the large suburb of Metairie – the facility is located on Airline Drive out near Louis Armstrong International Airport. Immediately next to the facility is Ochsner Sports Performance Center, which is the official practice facility for the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, the only facility in the country that houses the practice facility of both an NFL and NBA team.
Metairie is a town of about 150,000, typical of large suburbs with plenty of shopping and chain restaurants. A few miles closer to Lake Pontchartrain to the north is Lakeside Shopping Mall, the largest shopping center in Metro New Orleans. The Rivertown neighborhood of Kenner, about 5 miles away, is also a popular place to visit, known for its local shops and restaurants right on the Mississippi River.
For outdoor lovers, Metairie has plenty of outdoor options as well, with plenty of parks in the city including the largest and oldest, LaFreniere Park. Also, across the street from the Shrine on Airline is La Salle Park, which features a pretty cool bike trail that runs from the park through the woods and around the Saints and Pelicans practice facility.
Most of the restaurants in Metairie are chain and fast food, however, there is a cool local spot nearby called Dennis' Seafood – inside you can find all the famous Cajun food Louisiana is known for. You can also feed ‘Neuty’ here, the giant pet Nutria rat the owner rescued a few years ago. Neuty has become a local favorite and mascot of the establishment; Nutria rats have a bad reputation as swamp rats and invasive species, but they are more aligned and look more like beavers than rats.
And of course, when you come to a rugby match here you are only about 15-20 minutes from one of the most famous cities in the world New Orleans – there is too much to do in the city for me to name here. However, the summer months are not a very busy time for the city, as it is extremely hot with not as many tourists.
If you come to New Orleans during this time you will experience shorter lines at restaurants and cheaper hotel rooms should you stay in the city. I highly recommend a visit to New Orleans if you have never visited before; there is no other city in the country like the Crescent City.
Fans 4
The sport of rugby is the world's fastest growing sport with over 10 million participants playing the brutal game, a mix between football and soccer. Unfortunately, rugby has had trouble finding its footing in the US, due in part to youth development issues and not having a lot of support at the high school level, but that hasn't affected the New Orleans area, thanks in part to the melting pot of all the different cultures and residents from other countries who make the city home.
Much like the rest of New Orleans, the fan base at Nola Gold games can be considered vibrant and energetic – New Orleanians love their sports franchises and have fully supported the rugby club since day 1, when they played at a local high school, and the fan support has only picked up since the team moved to Metairie.
Even if you know nothing about rugby you can still have a great time here, with the tailgating in the parking lot and the bands playing during the game, not to mention the second-line jazz parade into the stadium. Coupled with the fast-paced, brutal nature of the sport itself, there is enough here to keep the average fan invested in what’s going on.
In 2024 the Gold hosted their first ever playoff game in franchise history, and fan support was at an all-time high, with over 5,000 fans packed into the Gold Mine and setting the attendance record for the club. The more raucous fans will be sitting in sections 113 to 115, where you'll encounter people dressed up with gold capes and different costumes, and people will be standing at all times waving towels during the match.
The concourse on that side can get very congested, so for a less raucous atmosphere I recommend sitting behind the south end zone goalposts – not a lot of people sit over there, and it's possible to move around the stadium. You may even get a whole row to yourself if you sit behind the south goalpost.
Access 3
Getting to the Shrine on Airline is fairly simple; the stadium is located on Airline Drive, the main highway from the CBD of New Orleans to the airport. If coming from the French Quarter or uptown you may run into traffic that makes it take 20-30 minutes to get here, so for a faster drive I recommend taking I-10 to Clearview Parkway at Exit 226.
Travel south for about two miles after that and you'll reach Airline Drive; the stadium is right there, and you'll find plenty of parking on site. Many of the people tailgating are on the southeast side of the parking lot, while the northern side is a lot quieter with fewer people parking.
Once inside the stadium, the concourse is wide enough to allow 10,000 people to properly flow through. However, most of the fans sit down on the former third baseline on the west side of the field, so the concourse on that side can get congested with people. Leaving the stadium you should have no issue, however, as traffic won't back up on Airline Drive. In addition, Metairie also has much nicer roads than New Orleans.
Return on Investment 4
Tickets are priced fairly cheap, with tickets in the upper deck selling for $20 and tickets in Sections 116-110 selling for $30. Section 112 is known as the Rugger's Club, a private seating area reserved for season ticket holders.
Coming to a Nola Gold match is a great experience, even if you know nothing about rugby. Some believed that rugby in a region dominated by football would not draw many fans, but the Nola Gold has proved to be a success after 7 seasons. A festive New Orleans atmosphere, combined with a passionate fan base and non-stop action on the field, makes this a must-visit if you are in the Crescent City and a fan of sports.
Extras 4
The Nola Gold was a part of the very first Major League Rugby match – on April 21, 2018, the Nola Gold took on the Houston Sabercats to kick off the inaugural season of MLR. Though the match was played in Houston, the Nola Gold was still a part of the first-ever match in the history of the league.
The team store on-site is also the only place in the city to get exclusive Nola Gold merchandise, as it is hard to find this merchandise anywhere else in the city. During the last match, I was at the store had a 50% off sale going on, and the head coach was even in the store meeting with fans before the match, which I thought was interesting.
One extra for the Shrine on Airline is located right next to the Saints and Pelicans training complex, the Oschner Sports Performance Center. During July matches you may be able to park at the Gold Mine's parking lot, then take a shuttle over to a Saints training camp practice, and then go back to the stadium for a Nola Gold match – you may even catch a few Saints or Pelicans players in attendance at the Gold match.
One extra for the facility's baseball history – the New Orleans Zephyrs Triple A team of the Pacific Coast League played here from 1997 until 2016, after which they changed their name to the New Orleans Baby Cakes, and stayed three more seasons until 2019. The minor league team was also been affiliated with the Astros, Nationals, Mets, and Marlins over the years; Lance Berkman, Freddy Garcia, Morgan Ensberg, Roy Oswalt, and Marcell Ozuna are just some of the big names who came through New Orleans on their way to The Show.
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