The New Orleans Privateers are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing the University of New Orleans (UNO), which became LSU New Orleans in July 2026 after rejoining the LSU system. The teams continue to compete as the Privateers, a nickname that has represented the university since athletics debuted in 1965. The athletic identity has undergone two significant visual overhauls: a 2013 redesign by Joe Bosack & Co. and a 2026 rebrand that shifted the color palette from blue and silver to LSU purple and gold.
Design and History
In July 2013, UNO unveiled a new primary athletic logo designed by Pennsylvania-based Joe Bosack & Co., an agency known for developing college and conference identities. The university introduced the mark through a nine-day social media campaign called “Piece Together the Privateer,” revealing one piece of the logo daily on Facebook before the full unveiling on July 17, 2013. The redesign coincided with the university’s admission into the Southland Conference. [1]
The 2013 mark was developed after months of focus groups on campus involving athletic administrators, coaches, student-athletes, faculty, staff, and alumni. These groups strongly urged the agency to create an athletic mark that tied into the city of New Orleans and the popular fleur-de-lis symbol, while also removing the color red from the palette. [2] The resulting primary logo features “New Orleans” arched across the top with “Privateers” in a banner below, above a privateer head shaped like a fleur-de-lis in royal, navy, and gray. [3] The design depicts a pirate face in the shape of a fleur-de-lis, described by the Baton Rouge Advocate as “a more-stylized Buccaneer than most reincarnations.” [4]
UNO Director of Athletics Derek Morel said at the time that the logo was intended to build a brand representative of the university, its students, alumni, and the city of New Orleans. University President Peter J. Fos called the new mark “a part of the new edition of the University of New Orleans story.” [2] The 2013 logo was later ranked the 10th best new logo of the year by readers of SportsLogos.net. [5]
In 2026, as the university transitioned to the LSU system under the name LSU New Orleans, the athletic programs adopted a new look. The rebrand replaced the traditional blue and silver with purple and gold, the colors associated with the LSU system, and included new logos and uniforms for all athletic programs. [6] The university also introduced a transition badge, described as a badge used across print, digital, marketing, and athletic uniforms, centered on the Privateer to reinforce the core identity. The transition logo included “Summer 2026” to reflect the timing of the change and was removed after July. [7]
Meaning and Symbolism
The fleur-de-lis is a central element of the 2013 Privateers logo, reflecting the recommendations of campus focus groups that wanted a mark strongly tied to the city of New Orleans. [2] Joe Bosack, founder and creative director of Joe Bosack & Co., said the logo “reflects the aspirations and determination of UNO and its student-athletes combined with a classic New Orleans look and feel.” [1]
The Privateers nickname itself references the privateers who defended New Orleans, and the university has maintained this identity through both the 2013 and 2026 rebrands. The 2026 transition kept the Privateer mascot while adopting LSU colors, blending the city of New Orleans identity with the purple and gold of LSU. [8]
Typography and Design
The 2013 primary logo uses an arched “New Orleans” wordmark above a banner reading “Privateers,” with the privateer head rendered in the shape of a fleur-de-lis. The color palette consists of royal, navy, and gray, with red removed from the previous identity. [3] The university’s brand identity system includes a primary logo, secondary logos, wordmarks, and sport-specific marks. [9]
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