PORTLAND, Maine — Maine's first professional soccer team officially has a name.
On Saturday, Maine's new United Soccer League One team announced its new name, "Portland Hearts of Pine," or "Hearts" for short, and a new logo inspired by "Maine pride," a news release stated.
The announcement came at an event held at Portland's Thompson's Point Saturday morning with hundreds of fans and supporters on hand.
The team also launched its website Saturday and Mainers were able to buy merchandise on site. There, you can order team gear online and make a deposit for season tickets.
The name was inspired by the "heartwood of the pine, which gives the tree the strength to grow and thrive in all of Maine's seasons and elements," the team said on social media. It serves as a symbol of Mainers' resilience, the release stated.
The logo is made up of key elements that draw upon several of Maine's iconic symbols.
"The club crest features an iconic Maine pine tree set against deep blue water, basking in the glow of a unique creation, the Dirigo Heart, which re-imagines Maine’s famous Dirigo Star in the spirit of Portland’s beloved Valentine’s Day Bandit," the release stated.
Club Founder Gabe Hoffman-Johnson said team leaders wanted to incorporate something unique with the name and logo and understood how special the "heart" is to Portland, and to people across Maine.
The team's motto, "Lead With Your Heart," puts a spin on the Dirigo "I lead" state motto.
"Leading with your heart is what drove the founding of this club, and is creating opportunity and energy in the statewide community," Hoffman-Johnson said in the news release.
In celebration of the milestone, Gov. Janet Mills declared April 27 as Maine Day of Soccer.
In September 2023, the USL announced its League One expansion into Portland, which was approved later that year by the Portland City Council.
Tryouts will begin this fall, with the first game kicking off in spring 2025 at Portland's Fitzpatrick Stadium.
To learn more about the team, click here.