Sports in Maine: Professional Teams, Local Traditions & Major Events

In Maine, the sports scene goes well beyond the final score. It’s a reflection of community, resilience and the landscapes that shape both. From the roar inside Portland’s arenas to the quiet determination of sled dogs tearing across snow-packed trails, athletics here mirror the state’s defining qualities: grit, endurance and transformation. Get a glimpse into local life at these major sports events and competitions. 

Professional Sports & Major League Teams

Hearts of Pine

Maine’s newest professional team, the Portland Hearts of Pine, has redefined the state’s sports landscape almost overnight. Playing at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, the soccer club has sold out every match since its debut, a sign of how hungry Mainers are for the world’s game. But the frenzy isn’t just about soccer. From the start, the team has built a culture of inclusivity—for example, hosting an international friendly with a Canadian squad—and transforming the stadium into a gathering place for all. Even the concessions echo Maine’s sense of place; between halves, order a plate of ice-cold raw oysters from Lady Shuckers, who sources from women-owned oyster farms in Maine. This sports team goes beyond 90 minutes of game time. It’s a celebration of Maine’s identity, forged by community as much as competition.

Maine Mariners

In Maine, hockey feels elemental—rooted in frozen ponds and long winters where skating is a childhood rite of passage. But a Maine Mariners game channels that tradition into something communal: fans bundled in scarves, hot cocoa in hand, standing shoulder to shoulder under the bright lights of the Cross Insurance Arena in downtown Portland.

Minor League, Semi-Professional & Collegiate Teams

Portland Sea Dogs

At Hadlock Field, just steps from Portland’s Old Port, the Portland Sea Dogs bring the rhythms of baseball to life. As the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, they link Maine to one of the sport’s most storied franchises. Yet the experience here is unmistakably local: between innings, fans join in quirky contests like the “lobster toss,” and when a Sea Dogs player belts a home run, a miniature lighthouse (a nod to the many lighthouses in Maine) rises from behind the center-field wall in celebration.

Maine Celtics

Inside the storied Portland Expo Center—an arena that’s been buzzing with everything from boxing matches to concerts since 1912—the Maine Celtics keep the tradition alive with high-energy basketball games. As the NBA G League affiliate of the Boston Celtics, the team brings fast breaks, big plays and big-league excitement to a city crowd that thrives on action.

Maine Black Bears

Up in Orono, the University of Maine Black Bears inspire deep-rooted pride. The football team, competing in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision as part of the Coastal Athletic Association, is the centerpiece of fall weekends, when Alfond Stadium transforms into a tableau of tailgates, crisp air and collegiate spirit.

Other Sports, Sporting Events & Races

Portland Rugby Football Club

The Portland Rugby Football Club captures the essence of Maine’s grassroots sports culture, fielding teams for men, women, youth and even an over-35 squad. Rugged yet welcoming, rugby here is as much about camaraderie as competition. The club is also developing a 39-acre “Field of Dreams,” envisioned as a permanent home to play, train and gather.

Camden Classics Cup

Every summer, Penobscot Bay becomes a stage for sails and salt air during the Camden Classics Cup. At this regatta in Camden, schooners and yachts race against a backdrop of mountains, while spectators line the harbor, stroll the docks or climb aboard viewing boats for a closer look. The event is both sport and spectacle: part regatta, part festival.

Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Races

In Fort Kent, near Maine’s northern border in Aroostook County, the Can-Am Crown International Sled Dog Races carry athletes and their dogs deep into snow-covered terrain. The starting line on Main Street buzzes with anticipation, and for spectators, it’s a rare glimpse of a tradition that binds people, animals and rugged landscape into a single pursuit.

U.S. National Toboggan Championships

Each February, thousands descend on Camden Snow Bowl for the U.S. National Toboggan Championships. Sleds (often hand-built) shoot down a wooden chute before skimming across frozen Hosmer Pond. The competition doubles as carnival, with costumes, bonfires and a festival spirit that embraces winter in all its extremes.

New England PGA State of Maine Championship

From mountain courses to coastal greens, golf in Maine is defined by its landscapes. The New England – Maine Chapter of the PGA presents the State of Maine Championship, which unfolds at the premier public Sugarloaf Golf Club in Carrabassett Valley, a course as challenging as it is scenic.