It was Nov. 22, 2025, and Monument Square in Portland, Maine was packed. Some 2,500 people had gathered in the rain to watch the broadcast of a World Cup fixture between England and the United States on a giant screen. In most states, people would have stayed home. But the fans in Portland came out in droves. Perfect weather for soccer.
The scoreline? A drab 0-0, a draw that suited both teams in the group stages. But for Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, organizer of the day and founder of new USL club Portland Hearts of Pine, the goalless affair was irrelevant. That event, instead, was just one of many catalysts that helped his team get off the ground.
This whole thing is about community, trying to encapsulate the very essence of what Maine is – something Mainers insist is not very easy – and piece together a brand that both locals and the wider soccer consciousness can be captivated by. The result is a soccer team that is simultaneously authentic and cool, sincere and hipster – and etching itself into the American sports landscape in its debut season.
“I think part of what I feel like we’re building here is a lifestyle brand that just happens to be a pro soccer team,” Hoffman-Johnson explained. “There’s a recognition of that, that we’re trying to cultivate.”