File photo / Jim Neuger
Gabe Hoffman-Johnson is the founder and chief community officer at Portland Hearts of Pine.
Updated: August 27, 2024
Portland pro soccer team kicks off partnership with Maine Office of Tourism
Photo / Courtesy, Portland Hearts of Pine
The Portland Heats of Pine soccer team is teaming up with the Maine Office of Tourism on future community engagement events like this World Cup watch party on Portland's Monument Square in 2022.
The new Portland Hearts of Pine men's pro soccer team will join forces with the Maine Office of Tourism to draw fans of "the beautiful game" to the state.
As part of a multiyear partnership announced Monday, the Office of Tourism will promote soccer as a family-friendly sports experience via community events and high-visibility marketing efforts, expanding on those the team has been mounting on its own.
Examples range from weekly pickup games at the city's Kennedy Park to events like the 2022 World Cup outdoor watch party in Monument Square, which attracted more than 2,000 attendees.
By teaming up with the tourism office, the Hearts aim to attract even more people to a growing fan base.
“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,” said Kevin Schohl, the soccer team’s president.
“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,” he added.
The partnership, announced Monday, comes barely six months before the team is due to kick off its inaugural season in March 2025, playing at Portland’s Fitzpatrick Stadium.
Based out of an office at 1 Union Wharf, the Portland Hearts of Pine has a staff of 11 full-time and two part-time employees. The team plans to hire a head coach in coming months and host open tryouts this fall, with player recruitment continuing into January and February.
“Part of making our club’s vision a reality is establishing thoughtful, purpose-driven partnerships and engaging with Maine’s communities in meaningful ways,” said Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, a former high school, college and pro soccer star who is the team's founder and chief community officer.
Carolann Ouellette, director of the Maine Office of Tourism, said the partnership is timely, given sport tourism's growing popularity nationwide with 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.,” she said.
Portland Hearts of Pine will play in the USL League One, which was launched by the Tampa, Fla..-based United Soccer League in 2019.
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