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Updated: September 19, 2025

Portland Sea Dogs end season with more sellouts, more rainouts — and new era of Taylor Swift merch

Portland Sea Dogs baseball game action shot. Photo / Jim Neuger The Portland Sea Dogs finished the 2025 season with 64 wins and 71 losses. Shown here is Portland second baseman Ahbram Liendo caught stealing second base in a July 9 loss to the Hartford (Conn.) Yard Goats.
By Renee Cordes

Despite a wet start to the 2025 baseball season that dampened overall attendance, the Portland Sea Dogs racked up an increase in sellouts and ushered in a new era of Taylor Swift merchandise that got a bump in late August from the pop star's engagement announcement.

Rainy weather prompted the cancellation of six games, including several potential sellouts, and affected numerous others on virtually every weekend through the middle of June.

“That’s all lost revenue that can’t be made up,” Chris Cameron, the team's vice president of communications and fan experience, told Mainebiz. "Fortunately, the prime months for us — July and August — we had great weather and the attendance was at our near capacity every night.”

Total attendance at Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field in 2025 was 366,442, down from 395,461 in 2024. Attendees included Tom Raffio, president and CEO of Concord, N.H.-based Northeast Delta Dental, which used its stadium sponsorship to promote children's oral health. 

"The partnership with the Sea Dogs exceeded all expectations," said Raffio, who came to Portland for several games, threw out three first pitches and helped distribute awards to players at the last home game.

While the number of sellouts at the ballpark rose from 19 in 2024 to 25 in 2025, stadium capacity was lower by 500 seats that were removed to make way for a new $10 million clubhouse that opened in June.

Photo / Jim Neuger
There were 25 sellouts at Delta Dental Park at Hadlock Field in 2025, compared to 19 in 2024.

The Sea Dogs, led by President Geoff Iacuessa and General Manager Jesse Scaglion, are the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox.

The team is staffed by 21 full-time year-round employees and close to 300 game-day staff members, with a return rate of about 90% from the previous season.

Taylor-made merch 

With 64 wins and 71 losses, the Sea Dogs finished in fourth place in their division and did not make the playoffs. But they scored big on merchandise sales. 

Popular items included teal items in homage to the team’s roots as an affiliate of the Florida Marlins and “In My Slugger Era” T-Shirts featuring team mascot Slugger, unveiled on Taylor Swift Night in July.

Even Slugger got his Swiftie on, donning a wig and colorful print dress like one that Taylor wore (there was even a social media post asking people, who were it better?).

“We sold over 700 shirts, making it one of our best-selling items in 2025,” Cameron said. He noted that a couple of hundred of those were sold after news of Swift’s engagement with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. They made the announcement on Aug. 26.

Slugger the Sea Dog dressed as Taylor Swift.
Photo / Jim Neuger
Slugger the Sea Dog on Taylor Swift Night at the ballpark.

200 days and counting

With 200 days to go until the 2026 home opener on April 7, planning for next year’s promotions is already underway.

In addition to some of the staples like fireworks, bobblehead giveaways, alternate identities (like the Maine Candlepins this summer) and theme nights, the 2026 season will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Sea Dogs’ Eastern League championship.

The team will start releasing some of the promotional information in late October as it prepares for 2026 single-game tickets to go on sale Nov. 1, according to Cameron.

And what about Slugger’s plans for the off-season?

“Take a little rest and then get out in the community as much as possible,” he said.

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