Maine's first professional soccer club — USL League One expansion side at Fitzpatrick Stadium, founded by Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, sold out every home match of its inaugural 2025 season.
Portland Hearts of Pine kicked off as Maine's first professional soccer club in 2025 in USL League One, playing 18 home matches at the 6,300-seat Fitzpatrick Stadium and selling out every one of them — setting a USL1 average attendance record at 5,843 fans per game. Falmouth High School and Dartmouth alum Gabe Hoffman-Johnson founded the club; the ownership group includes Portland real estate developers Jonathan and Catherine Culley and NESN broadcaster Tom Caron. The Hearts of Pine name and crest honor both Maine's iconic pine and Portland's beloved Valentine's Day Bandit, Kevin Fahrman, who anonymously taped red paper hearts around the city for 47 years. The team motto is "Lead With Your Heart." Ad Age called the Hearts "the buzziest" new team in U.S. soccer; the club won USL League One awards for marketing, consumer products, and PR in its first season. Mascot Moxie the Moose nods to Maine's official state soft drink. Season two runs March through October 2026 with 20 home dates.
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