Maine’s new professional soccer team has officially arrived to the scene.
The Portland Hearts of Pine unveiled their name, logo and motto Saturday morning at Portland’s Thompson’s Point at a ceremony attended by more than 1,000 fans, community members and local leaders.
Inspired by the Eastern white Pine and blue Dirigo star on Maine’s state flag, the team’s brand reflects founder and Falmouth native Gabe Hoffman-Johnson’s vision for the franchise — a club that promotes positive change in the Pine Tree State, with a squad that Mainers can rally around.
“As a player and a fan, I’ve seen this game’s ability to unify communities and serve as a catalyst for good,” Hoffman-Johnson said. “This team is an economic and cultural investment into the city and state that I love. This is something that is truly ours.”
The Hearts of Pine will compete in the fastest growing professional sports league in the country — the United Soccer League — as a member of its League One division. Hoffman-Johnson previously played in the USL himself, after serving as Dartmouth College’s team captain and winning two Maine Gatorade Player of the Year Awards with the Falmouth Navigators (class of 2010).
The Hearts of Pine’s front office drew further inspiration for the team’s brand from Mainers — via town hall meetings, focus groups and public polls over the past five years — and from decorated overseas clubs Heart of Midlothian F.C. (Scotland) and Accre Hearts of Oak S.C. (Ghana).
Hoffman-Johnson collaborated with the Portland-based Hugh McCormick Design Company and dozens of other local creatives to finalize the team’s name and design of the team’s logo.
The typography of the brand is based on the historic Portland Company building on the city’s waterfront, and the motto — Lead With Your Heart — was chosen to complement the state’s motto — Dirigo, or “I lead” in Latin.
“To watch the community organically build around this effort has been incredible,” said Portland City Councilor April Fournier. “Whenever this team has 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.”
Gov. Janet Mills proclaimed April 27, 2024, as the first annual Maine Day of Soccer.
“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 Mills at a private brand reveal on Thursday.
The Hearts of Pine will play their home games beginning in April 2025 at Fitzpatrick Stadium in downtown Portland, and will be among seven total expansion teams joining the USL League One this offseason.
The USL League One is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body that also presides over Major League Soccer and USL Championship. USL League One (19 active teams in 2025 season) is considered the third tier of American professional soccer, below the MLS (29 teams) and USL Championship (26 teams).
The Hearts of Pine have yet to develop a roster, and will begin tryouts this fall. Hoffman-Johnson said renovating Fitzpatrick Stadium and having Mainers represented on the Hearts of Pine squad is a priority for him and the team’s front office.
“Everything we do is community-built, and our biggest challenge [is] to represent the diverse communities and perspectives across Maine,” Hoffman-Johnson said. “There’s a lot of soccer talent in Maine, and now we have our identity and our team.”
