Hearts Club News

August 26, 2024 – PORTLAND, Maine – Portland Hearts of Pine have announced a new multi-year partnership with the Maine Office of Tourism (MOT) to celebrate “the beautiful game” and the natural beauty of Maine. Together, Hearts and MOT will create new connections with soccer fans across the region and beyond, gaining access to a new audience of soccer fanatics who will be exposed to Maine through a variety of marketing and advertising materials used by the club.

“We are thrilled to have the Maine Office of Tourism as a partner,” said Kevin Schohl, the team president. “Our matches will bring diverse communities of fans together to cheer for Maine’s newest home team, and we’ll be able to showcase that excitement as yet another reason to visit this great state. We want people who visit Maine to know that they can hike in Acadia, enjoy world-class cuisine, and attend an action-packed soccer game all in the same vacation,” said Schohl.

MOT and Hearts’ partnership will capitalize on the passion and anticipation surrounding the first-ever professional men’s soccer team in Maine, which will begin its inaugural season in March 2025.

“Hearts of Pine was founded on the principles of progressing, uplifting, and contributing to the betterment of Maine. We have a natural platform that garners the attention of large, passionate, and diverse audiences,” said Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, Founder and Chief Community Officer at Hearts of Pine. “Part of making our club’s vision a reality is establishing thoughtful, purpose-driven partnerships and engaging with Maine’s communities in meaningful ways,” Hoffman-Johnson continued. “Mainers have a responsibility to be stewards and active contributors to our culture and community. As the soccer club of Maine, we’re no different. MOT’s and Hearts’ joint values will strengthen our efforts to sustainably support and promote the very best of what Maine has to offer,” said Hoffman-Johnson.

MOT hopes to promote this new family-friendly sporting experience through expanded storytelling efforts to attract a growing and diverse audience of soccer fans in Maine and across the country. The partnership includes community activations and high-visibility marketing efforts with a common goal of sustaining and embracing Maine’s authentic character for generations to come.

“We are very excited to have professional men’s soccer coming to Maine. Our partnership with Hearts of Pine is timely, as sports tourism is a national trend that supports communities and has a significant economic impact for destinations. With the upcoming World Cup in 2026, we are leveraging the buzz already being created by this major event coming to the U.S.,” said Carolann Ouellette, Director of the Offices of Tourism, Film and Outdoor Recreation.

About Portland Hearts of Pine
Portland Hearts of Pine is a professional soccer club that reflects the character of Maine and drives economic, community, and cultural value. The club strives to be a reflection of the diverse communities and cultures of Maine, from the Highlands to Downeast, Casco Bay to Acadia, Aroostook to the Forest City. Portland Hearts of Pine will kick off in USL League One at the historic Fitzpatrick Stadium in March 2025. To learn more about Portland Hearts of Pine, visit the club’s website and follow the club on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook.

About Maine Office of Tourism
The Maine Office of Tourism pursues economic vitality for Mainers in balance with healthy communities and the natural environment through responsible marketing, community advancement, and fostering collaboration among Maine’s tourism partners.
To learn more about the Maine Office of Tourism, please visit www.visitmaine.com and follow them on Instagram, X (Twitter), and Facebook.

June 13, 2024 – PORTLAND, Maine – Portland Hearts of Pine, Maine’s first and only professional soccer club, has been riding a wave of momentum since launching its brand a few weeks ago. The club is enjoying one of the best launches in league history, and it reached another major milestone today by announcing a partnership with Bissell Brothers.

On April 27, in front of a crowd of 1,500 soccer fans, Hearts announced its team colors and brand identity. Inspired by Maine pride and local symbolism, the distinctive name and crest received a standing ovation from fan fest attendees, and Goal.com, a national soccer publication, called the logo the “best crest in North American soccer.” 

Based on key metrics that include ticket pre-sales, web traffic, social media engagement, and merchandise sales, Hearts are on track to surpass many USL League One records for an expansion club. Most notably, about 55% of the 4,500 season tickets available have already been reserved for the inaugural 2025 season. Those fans who are placing seat deposits now will have the opportunity to choose their seats starting this fall.

“Watching the momentum building in Portland and across the entire state of Maine has been tremendous,” said USL League One President Lee O’Neill. “Following one of the most successful launches in league history, we’re looking forward to welcoming Portland Hearts of Pine into the fold next season,” O’Neill added.

The club recently moved into new office space at Union Wharf in Portland’s Old Port to accommodate its growing business staff, and it is in the process of recruiting a Head Coach. The team will reveal more plans throughout the next few months, including details about privately-funded upgrades to Fitzpatrick Stadium that will begin this summer. The club plans to invest over $1 million to improve the historic publicly-owned facility for all spectators and athletes, from middle schoolers to pro soccer players. 

“The club has been a good partner and together we are working through a lot of important topics related to Fitzpatrick upgrades. The city is excited to see improvements come to fruition later this year,” said Ethan Hipple, Director of Parks, Recreation and Facilities Department, City of Portland.

“We’re thrilled that so many fans have already put down their deposits for season tickets, and we are ramping up our efforts to give them a best-in-class experience,” said team president Kevin Schohl. “Today we’re announcing an exciting milestone along that journey, as we reveal that the iconic Bissell Brothers is our first Founding Partner.”  

Hearts of Pine and Bissell Brothers will collaborate on unique experiences for fans. As a major part of the partnership, Bissell Brothers will sponsor the ‘Bissell Brothers Beer Garden’ at all Hearts home games.

“This relationship started with a mutual interest and excitement on the part of both parties and has led to our biggest, most ambitious partnership to date,” said Bissell Brothers Founder, Pete Bissell. “Hearts’ grassroots, community-minded approach to spreading the word about the dream of pro soccer in Portland, Maine led them to Bissell Brothers, where there was widespread excitement and enthusiasm about this project. Working together feels incredibly right. This mutual excitement is going to lead to special things.”

The partnership is multifaceted, with a focus on the in-stadium experience as well as at the Portland-based brewery, where the two organizations will host a variety of community events. “Our shared vision is to create experiences on game days and throughout the year that Maine sports fans have not had before,” said Bissell.

“This partnership demonstrates the power of soccer and community,” said Hearts founder Gabe Hoffman-Johnson. “Since their inception, Bissell Brothers has created more than just a beer brand. They are a huge supporter of our local community, the team, and our mission to be invested in Maine and the people who call this wonderful place home. We look forward to doing great things together.”

Bissell Brothers has already hosted several club-sponsored events at their Portland taproom, including the franchise announcement in September 2023. Upcoming collaborations and events will be announced within the coming months. 

To place a deposit toward season tickets or to purchase team merchandise, visit here.

For corporate inquiries about becoming a Hearts of Pine Founding Partner, email partnerships@heartsofpine.com

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To learn more about Portland Hearts of Pine, visit the club’s website and follow them on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook. 

To learn more about Bissell Brothers, visit their website and follow them on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook. 

For media inquiries: Diana Nelson, diana@blackflymedia.com, 978-985-9993

PORTLAND, Maine – In front of a crowd of more than 1,000 soccer fans, players, community members and policymakers, Maine’s first professional soccer club announced its team colors and brand identity ahead of its planned inaugural 2025 season. Inspired by Maine pride and symbolism, the team will be called Portland Hearts of Pine, or Hearts for short, a distinctive name that was developed in partnership with local supporters and one that has ties to global soccer culture. The club crest features an iconic Maine pine tree set against deep blue water, basking in the glow of a unique creation, the Dirigo Heart, which re-imagines Maine’s famous Dirigo Star in the spirit of Portland’s beloved Valentine’s Day Bandit.

“I congratulate Maine’s new professional soccer team, Hearts of Pine, on unveiling the name that Maine people will cheer on for years to come,” said Maine Governor Janet Mills. “In celebration of this exciting milestone and in honor of passionate soccer fans across the state, I have proclaimed today as the first-ever Maine Day of Soccer. I look forward to joining Maine people to cheer on Hearts of Pine when they take to the field next year.”

Hearts of Pine’s branding was born from authentic collaboration across the state over nearly five years. Club founders held dozens of focus groups, town halls and soccer events with a range of audiences, including members of local business, soccer and New Mainer communities. Informed by the insights, the grassroots-inspired brand was created by club founder and Chief Community Officer Gabe Hoffman-Johnson and global soccer industry insider Burke Cherrie, a Portland resident. They were supported by Maine College of Art & Design graduate Hugh McCormick, who designed the branding system, as well as dozens of other local creatives throughout the process.

“Everything we do is community-built and we knew our biggest challenge was to represent the diverse communities and perspectives across Maine,” said Hoffman-Johnson. “Across all corners of the state, what we heard from every community was just how proud they are to be a Mainer, and especially how much love they have for our state’s natural beauty. That’s what links us all, it’s our heritage, and those are the symbols we leaned into to represent this club.”

With community feedback, Maine’s moniker as the Pine Tree State, and Portland’s Forest City nickname in mind, the team found inspiration in the heartwood of the pine, the center of the tree which provides the strength and durability to grow and thrive in all elements and seasons, a trait mirrored in the resilience of Mainers themselves.

“It was an interesting challenge to take an icon like the Eastern White Pine, used so often to symbolize our state, and do something different to find new meaning,” said Burke Cherrie, who has worked for a decade in soccer media with brands like adidas, the U.S. Soccer Federation and global clubs including Chelsea FC and Liverpool FC. “As we explored the heartwood concept, we started to see hearts everywhere, thanks to Portland’s unique Valentine’s Day Bandit tradition, in the love of the sport across the state, and of course in the character of Mainers themselves. We believe Hearts of Pine is a brand that represents all of us.”

“We love the crest and can’t wait to wear it proudly. We’ve supported this movement from day one and now we have the badge of honor that unites us,” said Donald Thibodeau and Mitchell Ketchen of Dirigo Union, an independent supporters group for that was founded in 2020.

In addition to the representations of Maine’s natural beauty and the club’s unique Dirigo Heart symbol, the team found further inspiration in history and tradition. The custom typography is based on the historic Portland Co. building, a nod to Maine’s proud working waterfront, and the scroll celebrates Maine’s literary contributions. The Hearts nickname also draws upon global soccer traditions, as it is shared by esteemed clubs such as Scotland’s Heart of Midlothian FC and Ghana’s Accra Hearts of Oak SC.

The club motto is ‘Lead with Your Heart,’ putting a new spin on Maine’s motto ‘Dirigo,’ meaning ‘I Lead’ in Latin. “Leading with your heart is what drove the founding of this club, and is creating opportunity and energy in the statewide community,” said Hoffman-Johnson. “We believe in the power of soccer, the world’s universal language, to create positive change for individuals, families, communities and the world. As part of building an elite professional club that reflects the character of the City of Portland, the State of Maine and all of its communities, we want to take social responsibility to the next level and set a new benchmark for community-minded professional clubs in America.”

“To watch the community organically build around this effort has been incredible,” said second-term Portland City Councilor, April Fournier. “Whenever this team appeared on a city council agenda, young people would show up at City Hall to speak. This team has positively activated civic engagement among Maine youth, and it is very exciting and inspiring to see.”

In September 2023, the United Soccer League formally announced that Portland, Maine would become home to an expansion franchise that will play in USL League One, and Portland City Council officially approved the club’s lease agreement to make historic Fitzpatrick Stadium their home two months later.

The club recently made three key acquisitions by hiring President and Chief Business Officer Kevin Schohl, a Harvard graduate with a successful career in sports management; a Director of Operations, Hannah Sirois, formerly of the Maine Celtics, and a VP of Marketing; and Brian Wold, formerly of Sabre Yachts. The trio will focus on building out the club infrastructure, developing corporate partnerships, renovating Fitzpatrick Stadium and expanding the team with more hires, including the technical staff and players later this year.

“This is a great day for soccer in Maine but this is just the beginning of what’s to come. We hope the club will inspire not just soccer fans and players, but everyone who has their heart in Maine,” said Schohl.

To learn more about Portland Hearts of Pine, visit the club’s website and follow the club on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook.