Board of Governors approves Maine’s Transfer of Controlling Interest

The ECHL announced on Monday that the League’s Board of Governors has approved the Transfer of Controlling Interest in the Maine Mariners’ Membership from Comcast Spectacor to Dexter Paine.
 
“The ECHL is thrilled to welcome Dexter Paine to the League with his acquisition of the Maine Mariners, as approved by our Board of Governors,” said ECHL Commissioner, Ryan Crelin.  “Dexter brings a wealth of business and sports experience to the League through his previous endeavors, but more importantly, a passion for hockey in the New England area which will help the Mariners grow and thrive even further.
 
“On behalf of the League, I'd like to thank everyone at Comcast Spectacor for their ownership and original vision to bring the ECHL to Maine, to ensure that Portland and the surrounding communities had a professional hockey team in the market to call their own,” Crelin continued.
 
With local ties by way of North Conway, New Hampshire, Paine adds to his already extensive background in the sports world with his acquisition of the Mariners. Since 2021, he has served as a member of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Board of Directors and is on both the boards of US Biathlon and United States Ski and Snowboard. He was actively involved in the successful Salt Lake City 2034 Olympic Winter Games bid, and currently serves as a member of the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) Council. He is the co-founder and Chairman of Paine Schwartz Partners, a private equity firm specializing in sustainable food chain investing.
 
Paine is a life-long Boston Bruins fan who grew up frequently attending games of the original Maine Mariners – the American Hockey League franchise that was Portland’s first professional hockey team. The AHL’s Mariners played at the Cross Insurance Arena (then, the Cumberland County Civic Center) from 1977-92.
 
Under the new ownership, Paine will serve as Governor of the Maine Mariners while Adam Goldberg will be promoted from President to CEO and Alternate Governor.
 
About the ECHL
 
Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 29 teams in 22 states and one Canadian province for its 37th season in 2024-25. There have been 752 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 12 who made their NHL debuts in the 2023-24 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 29 of the 32 NHL teams in 2024-25, marking the 27th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.