Missed our April newsletter? No worries—here’s our first in-season edition! Subscribe now to get it straight to your inbox each month and stay up to speed on all the latest.
Hey There Bub,
I can’t believe it’s already late April—can you?! Time is flying, we’re less than two weeks from our inaugural season home opener, and there’s so much happening at Hearts.
For those new to the movement, I’m Gabe, founder and Chief Community Officer of Portland Hearts of Pine. We’re a culture-led, community-built club bringing professional soccer to Maine.
Since launching the Hearts brand in April 2024, we’ve hit some incredible milestones: 33 amazing partnerships (huge thanks to all of them!), over 4,000 season ticket memberships, our inaugural home and away kits revealed (plus two goalie kits), our first-ever competitive matches played right here in Maine, and our first few away matches in the books. The best part? We’re just getting started.
This month we proudly announced our Community Ticketing Impact Program that will ensure fans, regardless of their backgrounds or financial situations, have the opportunity to join us at ‘Fitzy’ during our inaugural season.
Here at Hearts, we recognize the impact we can have in our communities if we use our platform thoughtfully and intentionally. New research shows that attending live sporting events results in higher scores of two major measurements of subjective well-being – life satisfaction and a sense of “life being worthwhile” – in addition to lower levels of loneliness. This is significant as previous studies show higher life satisfaction scores are associated with fewer life-limiting conditions and better physical health, successful aging, and lower mortality rates. I love the public health implications of this program, and it’s something we plan to continue leaning into in the future.
Last week, our U.S. Open Cup run came to a close, and I’m filled with gratitude reflecting on our time there. It strikes me as especially fitting that our first set of “home” matches were played in Lewiston; such a vibrant and culturally diverse city with a strong sense of community and shared love of soccer. As the soccer club of Maine, expanding our home stadium horizons felt like the right thing to do. Looking back, we couldn’t have chosen a better place.
The Cup is grassroots American soccer at its core— and in many ways, it mirrors what we’re building here at this club. That shared ethos came to life during our cup run as thousands of Mainers braved cold and rainy weeknights, and gathered around the pitch in Lewiston to support our boys of Maine. Each game brought the kind of moments you’ll never forget and something I’ll carry with me forever.
I often get asked how it feels, now that the club is here. Now that we’ve done it. What are my favorite parts? For me, it always comes back to the people. The stories we hear along the way, from lifelong soccer supporters to folks just beginning to fall in love with the game, and the community around it, are the special sauce that reminds us why we do what we do.
__________
“We showed up to the jersey reveal in November knowing nothing about soccer — or sports in general. We’re very much the ‘Go Sports!’ type of people. That night, we realized it’s SO much more than a game. It’s a unifier and a lifeline for so many people. We decided to attend the first Lewiston match and are now hoping to become Season Ticket Members next year. I can’t explain it, but there’s something magical about all this. And it’s not going away anytime soon, and neither are we.”
“I was truly moved to tears last night being witness to all of the love and support our community brought to Lewiston- in spite of the chilly, damp weather. I hope the players and all those who have worked so tirelessly to make this dream team come to fruition realizes how much we appreciate you all. I’ve told countless people how incredible the experience was, and how genuinely uplifting and joyous the evening was. These days, we’re inundated with negativity and divisiveness, yet while at the game, we were all there together as one, having fun and putting any negativity aside. It genuinely cleansed my soul, and has allowed me to embrace the motto of “Lead with your Heart!” Thank you all so much, and we truly CAN’T WAIT for this season!”
“As a teacher at LHS and longtime community member, it was phenomenal to greet and watch Khalid Hersi at home! What he is modeling for our students is beyond what any classroom could teach…”
MISS THE MATCH? CATCH THE RECAP.
You can find a full recap for every match on our website, including highlights, photos, videos, and more. It’s the perfect spot to catch up if you missed the game or need a go-to resource for all the action! Visit our news tab on the website to find each one.
We recently unveiled two Goalkeeper Kits, and they’re available online for preorder! Grab all your Hearts gear online or in store right here in Portland. My recent favorites? I can’t go anywhere without my Hearts Navy Trucker Hat or the U.S. Open Cup Long Sleeve.
GOALKEEPER KITS
NEW ARRIVALS
Can’t make it to the game but still want to be part of the action? Join us at one of our official watch party locations right here in Portland and cheer on the team!
$3 DEWEYS WATCH PARTY
Our next watch party is at $3 Deweys on Saturday, May 10th at 8 PM as we take on Union Omaha! Enjoy giveaways, prizes, exclusive limited-edition collab. merchandise, and more — it’s going to be a night you won’t want to miss!
WHAT I’VE BEEN WATCHING
One doc that’s been popping up in just about every conversation lately is Join or Die on Netflix. It follows the 50-year journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking Bowling Alone research dug deep into America’s unraveling sense of community (and you know how I feel about community connection!).
Through stories from grassroots groups to national leaders, the film tackles three big questions: What makes a society strong and resilient? Why are we feeling more isolated, anxious, and divided? And how do we rebuild the connections that hold us together?
It’s thoughtful, timely, and honestly I love the parallels to the real power of this beautiful game. Soccer is the great leveler, the great unifier – it brings people together from all backgrounds – not only in the stands, but in our communities. The power to strengthen bonds and create new ones, the power to build community is soccer’s real power… and something Hearts aims to amplify each and every day.
Our City. Our State. Our Club.
Okay, I might sound like a broken record, but if you’ve scrolled this far (and even if you just skipped to the bottom), I have to say it—thank you. Seriously. Whether you’ve been here since day one or just showed up, you’ve helped make this thing real. Hearts wouldn’t be Hearts without you.
Until next time.
Building community though the beautiful game,
Gabe