Lobsters, Soccer & Whoopie Pies: Maine Scores Big on ESPN’s “50 States in 50 Days”

The worldwide leader in sports has decided to shine a light on many of Maine's finest.

Everyone's favorite home for sports and entertainment, ESPN, is running a very cool feature this summer called "50 States in 50 Days."

It's a simple concept: every day on its flagship program, SportsCenter, the network highlights some of the most unique things about a state here in the U.S.

Maine Gets Featured on ESPN's SportsCenter

Recently, our state got its turn in the spotlight, as SportsCenter went after the low-hanging fruit, lobster, of course.

The feature kicked off with ESPN anchor Shae Cornette working a lobstering shift on Penobscot Bay with Krista Tripp, a Maine lobsterwoman who’s been running her family’s boat, Shearwater, for decades.

The haul was then brought back to Rockland, where it just happened to be the Maine Lobster Festival. What amazing timing, ESPN!

All kidding aside, it’s a great segment that spotlights many of the folks who make the festival happen, as well as tourists from around the globe who come to enjoy it. The festival—one of Maine’s most iconic—gets the recognition it deserves, all wrapped in the humble fanfare that is such a wonderful trademark of our state.

Maine's Soccer Team gets a Cameo on ESPN's SportsCenter 

The segment then flows right into one of Maine’s newest icons: the Portland Hearts of Pine.

Cornette is seen rocking a Hearts jersey and is joined by the team’s founder, Gabe Hoffman-Johnson, who teaches her the proper way to eat a lobster. There’s even a cameo by Moxie, the team’s mascot, who (allegedly) downed 75 pounds of lobster. Solid work, Moxie.

The feature continues with a look at lobster rolls and how they’re made, lobster stew, and even whoopie pies, which, of course, were invented here in Maine... allegedly.

Kudos to ESPN for the wonderful segment—highlighting a beloved Maine festival and an upstart sports team that has captured the hearts (no pun intended) of Mainers and soccer fans from away.

I highly recommend checking out some of the other state segments, too. It’s a great series that ESPN has put together, showcasing just how awesome this country truly is.