UNE and The Maine Mariners partner for a Power Play in both Academics and Industry

UNE students gain real world experience through partnership with The Maine Mariners by enhancing fan engagement, supporting growth and team operations. 

February 25, 2025 

Maeve McDermott 

University of New England Communications student 

In the summer of 2024, The University of New England (UNE) and The Maine Mariners partnered, designed to fuel UNEs mission to equip students with real world skills and provide The Maine Mariners with opportunities of new growth with data analytics. 

The Mariners, recently acquired by Dexter Paine and entering a new phase of ownership, offered a unique opportunity for collaboration. 

The Mariners, part of the number one minor league sports market in the country, face challenges in areas such as fan engagement, player performance analytics, and facility expansion. Samuel Murray (he/him), Vice President of Sales & Strategy at The Maine Mariners states “The students have been incredible. They’ve jumped into some really important projects for us, from analyzing data to helping us figure out what works best for our fans. It’s a win-win—they get real-world experience, and we get insights that will help us grow as a team.”

Connor Blake (he/him), Manager, Center for Sport and Business Innovation at UNE states, “While the Mariners are talented and have a great staff, they might be limited in some areas where we can help. By identifying key growth opportunities, we provide them with the necessary research and insight to tackle challenges they may not have the bandwidth to address right now.”

Blake states, “The future is bright for both UNE and the Mariners, and this partnership is just the beginning.” showing the positive outlooks for both organizations.