Portland Hearts of Pine Fan Gets Logo Tattoo
They say that class is permanent but so are tattoos.
They say that class is permanent but so are tattoos and one Portland Hearts of Pine fan displayed his passion for Maine’s latest sports team on his skin.
Nathan Gower became the first fan to get the Hearts of Pine logo inked into their skin. After having some difficulties finding an artist, Mike Gorman at Squirrel Cage Studio in Portland made Gower’s idea come to reality.
While this is the first Hearts of Pine tattoo, it isn’t Gower’s first soccer-related ink. He has a New England Revolution tattoo that he got when he was 17. The footy fan also hopes to get a Tottenham Hotspurs tattoo as well as some USMNT ink.
Gower has been a soccer fan since 2001 when his mom got Revs tickets from her boss. That gift and the timing of the 2002 World Cup got him hooked. Gower’s love for the game crossed ponds as he ended up becoming a Tottenham supporter.
The soccer fan has lived in New England since 1998 with some brief stints through the southern United States. While growing up in Houston, Texas, Portland became his home after he took a job in the city in 2017.
“It was love at first sight with Portland,” he told The Blazing Musket. “The ocean and the food and the people keep it interesting. It's a tourist destination for a reason.”
Gower has kept tabs on the team since the rumors that a USL club was coming to Portland began. He watched the club transition from an idea to a reality and became a season ticket holder at the Hearts of Pine brand reveal.
The season ticket holder believes now is the best time to become a fan of the club as supporters will get to witness a lot of first’s.
“This is the best time to be a fan because everything is possible,” Gower said. “The first home game, the first goal, the first win, etc. So I'm just kinda sitting with that feeling as we get closer to opening day.”
He added that he expects Portland to show out in force for not just the home opener, but the entire season.
While Gower is the first fan to get a Hearts of Pine tattoo, he expects that he won’t be the last.
“Folks have already shared their love for this team in a number of ways, and this was my way of tapping into that same energy,” he said. “I'm sure I won't be the last person to get a Hearts tattoo but I'm more excited to see what else folks have in store — Portland's got a lot of creative people.”