MASL Launches 'Play with Heart' to Teach Lifesaving CPR During Games

The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) has launched a crucial public health initiative called "Play with Heart" during American Heart Month in February 2026. This league-wide campaign partners with the American Heart Association, a leading organization in resuscitation science and education, to address a critical public health crisis: most people who suffer cardiac arrest outside hospitals don't survive, often because they don't receive immediate CPR. The initiative aims to use MASL's national platform and regional team reach to educate communities, inspire action, and ultimately help save lives by encouraging fans to learn Hands-Only CPR and join the Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers™ movement, which has an ambitious goal to double cardiac arrest survival rates by 2030.

Throughout February, MASL clubs will implement comprehensive educational efforts including in-arena activations, public service messages, and broadcast promotions. Each team will designate a special "Play with Heart" game where players will wear commemorative red armbands to highlight the campaign. Eight team-signed armbands will be auctioned by the league, with proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association, while additional player-worn armbands will be distributed locally. The campaign features specific games across the league schedule, including matches involving teams like Utica City FC, Empire Strykers, St. Louis Ambush, Baltimore Blast, San Diego Sockers, Kansas City Comets, Tacoma Stars, and Milwaukee Wave, creating multiple touchpoints for fan engagement and education.

The initiative emphasizes that immediate CPR can double or even triple a person's chance of survival during cardiac arrest, yet current data shows 9 out of 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside hospitals die, partly because they don't receive immediate CPR more than half the time. Hands-Only CPR, which involves calling 911 and pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest, can be equally effective as traditional CPR in the first critical minutes and is simple to learn. As MASL Commissioner Keith Tozer noted, indoor soccer's fast, physical nature mirrors the quick response needed in cardiac emergencies. The campaign reinforces a shared commitment to player safety, fan well-being, and positive community impact, encouraging everyone to visit heart.org/nation to join the Nation of Lifesavers movement and learn how to save a life in just 90 seconds.