Maine Mariners

What Maine Mariners does

The Maine Mariners is a professional ice hockey franchise based in Portland, Maine, that competes in the ECHL as an affiliate of the NHL's Boston Bruins and AHL's Providence Bruins. Founded in 2018 as an expansion team, the organization plays home games at Cross Insurance Arena and runs a standard minor-league hockey operation: roster management, game-day operations, community programming, and fan engagement through a direct-to-consumer ticketing stack (own website, Ticketmaster, phone/box office).

The business operates a diversified revenue model with three principal streams: ticket sales (single game tickets from $27, full/half/12-game season plans, flex plans, group tickets of 10+, and premium seating such as the Ice Level Lounge and Skyline Party Deck), merchandise sold through a Shopify storefront, and corporate sponsorships with Cross Insurance, NBT Bank, Chick-fil-A, Verizon, and WGME. The team distributes content through FloHockey streaming and Mixlr audio, enabling out-of-market fan monetization — out-of-market merchandise revenue alone exceeded $225,000 in 2024-25.

The franchise serves two primary customer segments: individual hockey fans and families in the Maine/New England region (the primary segment) and corporate groups seeking hospitality and entertainment options. Community engagement is structurally embedded through programs like Goals for Food, Captain Joel Barnes Award, Hannaford Kids Corner, and donation/appearance request programs. A 2024-25 economic impact study by the University of New England's Center for Sport and Business Innovation estimated the team's contribution to the Portland economy at $6.1M–$12.4M, with $3.3M of that from out-of-town season ticket holders. The team is privately held under ECHL Properties, LLC and does not develop proprietary technology.

Name

Maine Mariners

Legal name

ECHL Properties, LLC

Website

https://marinersofmaine.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Maine Mariners is a privately held ECHL professional hockey team based in Portland, Maine, affiliated with the NHL's Boston Bruins, generating revenue from ticketing, merchandise, and sponsorships while serving regional fans and corporate clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Hockey Entertainment

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional Live Sports Leagues & Tours (MPAGAMAA)

Keywords

• Professional hockey games
• Minor league hockey
• Arena sports entertainment
• Team merchandise retail
• Corporate hospitality suites

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from single game tickets, season tickets, flex plans, group tickets, premium seating (Ice Level Lounge, Chick-Fil-A Chicken Coop, Skyline Party Deck), and specialty packages like Family Four Pack and Birthday Parties. Single game tickets start at $27.
2. Merchandise Sales: Revenue from team merchandise sold through the team store (marinersmerchandise.myshopify.com), including jerseys, hats, and promotional items.
3. Sponsorship and Advertising: Partnerships with corporate sponsors including Cross Insurance, NBT Bank, WGME, Verizon, Chick-fil-A, and others who advertise at the arena and on digital platforms.
4. Economic Impact Revenue: Study by University of New England's Center for Sport and Business Innovation found the team injected at least $6.1 million—and as much as $12.4 million—into Portland's economy during the 2024-25 season. Approximately $3.3 million in new dollars came from out-of-town season ticket holders, with additional revenue from flex-ticket buyers and out-of-market merchandise purchases exceeding $225,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Maine Mariners operate an ECHL professional hockey franchise that plays home games at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine, as an affiliate of the NHL's Boston Bruins and AHL's Providence Bruins. The organization sells game attendance through ticket products (single game, season, flex, group, premium), team merchandise via its Shopify store, and live game broadcasts through FloHockey. They also run fan engagement programs, corporate hospitality packages, and community outreach initiatives.

Product overview

The Maine Mariners is a professional hockey team in the ECHL and the proud affiliate of the NHL's Boston Bruins and AHL's Providence Bruins. The organization operates as a sports entertainment business offering live professional hockey games, ticket packages (season tickets, flex plans, group tickets), premium hospitality experiences (Ice Level Lounge, Skyline Party Deck), and merchandise through their Shopify store. The product portfolio centers on game attendance experiences supplemented by community programs, fan engagement activities (Kids Club, theme nights), and corporate hospitality packages. The team plays at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine, with a season running from October through April including regular season games and Kelly Cup Playoffs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Hockey Games ECHL professional hockey games played at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland, Maine, as the affiliated team of the NHL's Boston Bruins and AHL's Providence Bruins. Targeted at local hockey fans, families, and regional sports entertainment consumers.
• Group Tickets Discounted ticket packages for groups of 10 or more people, suitable for corporate events, birthday parties, and community groups.
• Premium Seating Upscale seating experiences including the Ice Level Lounge and Skyline Party Deck, with enhanced amenities and hospitality for groups of 20-75 people.
• Team Merchandise Store Official online merchandise store selling jerseys, hats, beanies, and other team apparel to fans and collectors.
• Birthday Parties Arena birthday party packages for children including game tickets and special in-arena experiences.
• Business Packages Corporate hospitality packages designed for business clients, employee outings, and client entertainment at home games.
• Fan Experiences Special experiences including shoot-to-win contests, mascot appearances, and arena tours for individual fans and groups.
• Fundraising Programs Fundraising ticket programs that allow schools, non-profits, and community organizations to raise money through ticket sales.
• Beacon's Kids Club Kids membership program offering exclusive perks, giveaways, and kid-focused activities and content.
• Community Events & Sponsorships Community engagement programs including Goals for Food, donation requests, and player/team appearance requests for local schools, charities, and organizations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Economic impact of $6.1M - $12.4M on Portland's economy during 2024-25 season
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Boston Bruins (NHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Maine Mariners are proud affiliates of the NHL's Boston Bruins. This affiliation provides player development pathways, talent exchange between organizations, and shared organizational resources and best practices.
• Providence Bruins (AHL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Maine Mariners are affiliated with the AHL's Providence Bruins, serving as a developmental step between the ECHL and NHL for players progressing through the Boston Bruins organization.
• Cross InsuranceflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor and partner of the Maine Mariners. Cross Insurance provides advertising and sponsorship support, with prominent arena naming rights and branding presence at home games.
• NBT BankflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of the Maine Mariners Video Center. NBT Bank provides marketing partnership and branding presence across team digital platforms and communications.
• Chick-fil-AcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Wicked Wednesday promotions and the Chick-fil-A Chicken Coop premium seating area. Provides game day promotions and food & beverage partnership.
• FloHockeycoreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial streaming partner for live game broadcasts. FloHockey provides video streaming infrastructure for fans to watch games remotely.
• University of New England's Center for Sport and Business InnovationminorOthersAcademic partnership for economic impact research. The center conducted a study showing the team's $6.1M-$12.4M economic impact on Portland's economy.
• ECHLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember team of the ECHL, a professional hockey league. The ECHL provides league operations, scheduling, officiating, and administrative infrastructure. The team plays in the North Division.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Adirondack Thunder: ECHL North Division opponent that the Mariners defeated in the 2025-26 Kelly Cup Playoffs first round. Directly comparable in market size, venue scale, and single-affiliate minor-league operations.
• Norfolk Admirals: ECHL member and Boston Bruins affiliate, sharing the same player development pipeline as the Maine Mariners. Operates with similar single-venue, minor-league ticketing and sponsorship economics.
• Cincinnati Cyclones: Established ECHL franchise with comparable single-arena operations, diversified ticketing products, and league-driven sponsorship economics. Direct peer for benchmarking revenue mix and attendance model.
• Reading Royals: ECHL North Division member with comparable business model: single-arena operations, ticketing-led revenue, regional sponsorship book, and affiliated NHL/AHL player development pipeline.
• Kalamazoo Wings: ECHL team operating in a similarly sized Midwestern market. Comparable in single-venue scale, community-engagement-driven sponsorship strategy, and minor-league cost structure.
• Fort Wayne Komets: Long-tenured ECHL franchise with directly comparable single-arena ticketing, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue model. Useful benchmark for franchise maturity and unit economics.
• Savannah Ghost Pirates: Relatively recent ECHL expansion franchise similar in vintage to the Mariners. Directly comparable in team maturity, league tier, and growth-stage operational profile.
• Trois-Rivières Lions: ECHL North Division team sharing the same division schedule and league economics. Operates with comparable small-market, single-affiliate minor-league structure.
• Worcester Railers HC: ECHL North Division rival and fellow Boston Bruins affiliate. Operates with similar single-venue, minor-league economics in New England and competes with the Mariners for the same regional fan base and corporate sponsorships.

Broad incumbents

• Providence Bruins: AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins and direct developmental partner of the Maine Mariners. Operates one tier above in the same player pipeline and shares organizational branding, providing a natural comparable for revenue scale at the next league level.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCh5BEI9RqdwMlJezKUPw-Xg
• Xx.com/MarinersOfMaine
• Facebookfacebook.com/MarinersOfMaine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maine-mariners

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maine Mariners