If you’ve ever packed the arena on a Mariners game night, you already felt the impact. Now we’ve got the numbers to prove it!
A new study from the University of New England College of Business found that the Maine Mariners brought at least $6.1 million in new money into Portland during the 2024–25 season and that number could climb as high as $12.4 million when factoring in additional economic impact.
The third-party report, conducted by UNE’s Center for Sport and Business Innovation, analyzed more than 60 variables, including out-of-market ticket sales, visiting team hotel stays, merchandise purchases, and tourist spending at local restaurants, bars, and hotels.
Here’s what really stands out:
-
About $3.3 million came from season ticket holders who live outside the Portland area and travel in for games.
-
Nearly $1.7 million came from out-of-market flex and single-game buyers.
-
More than $225,000 came from out-of-market merchandise sales.
That’s real money flowing directly into local businesses, from Old Port restaurants to downtown hotels, all because of hockey nights in Portland!
As someone who gets to see the energy up close as the in-arena host, I can tell you: Mariners games are more than just hockey. They’re a full-night experience. Fans are grabbing dinner before puck drop, drinks after the final horn, and making a whole evening out of it!
It’s also pretty incredible that UNE students played a hands-on role in collecting and analyzing the data for this study, helping quantify just how powerful sports can be for a local economy.
Hockey isn’t just entertainment here – it’s economic impact. And Portland is clearly winning!
