The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) has launched Play with Heart, a monthlong league-wide initiative encouraging fans to learn Hands-Only CPR and join the American Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers movement. The campaign, running throughout February during American Heart Month, aims to use MASL's national platform and regional team reach to educate communities about cardiac emergency response.
According to American Heart Association data, 9 out of every 10 people who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die, often because they do not receive immediate CPR more than half of the time. Immediate CPR can double or even triple a person's chance of survival. The Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers movement intends to double survival rates by 2030, and the MASL partnership represents a significant outreach effort toward that goal.
"We are grateful for efforts that help more people feel confident recognizing a cardiac emergency and taking action," said Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association. "Each year, hundreds of thousands of cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals, and immediate CPR can double or even triple a person's chance of survival."
Hands-Only CPR can be equally effective as traditional CPR in the first few minutes of emergency response and is simple to learn: call 911 if you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse and then push hard and fast in the center of the chest. The American Heart Association, which publishes the official scientific guidelines for CPR, provides educational resources at heart.org/nation where people can learn how to save a life in just 90 seconds.
Throughout February, MASL clubs will hold in-arena activations and share educational resources and public service messages encouraging fans to learn and practice compression-only CPR. Each MASL team will designate one Play with Heart game during the month, with players wearing 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.
Scheduled Play with Heart games include matches on February 5, 14, 16, 21, 22, and 27 featuring teams including Utica City FC, Empire Strykers, St. Louis Ambush, Baltimore Blast, San Diego Sockers, Kansas City Comets, Tacoma Stars, and Milwaukee Wave. During the campaign, MASL clubs will spotlight heart health messaging during games, on broadcasts, and across digital channels.
"Indoor soccer is fast, physical and driven by community support - just like the response needed in a cardiac emergency," said Keith Tozer, commissioner of the Major Arena Soccer League. "Play with Heart is about helping fans understand that quick action, including Hands-Only CPR, can save a life and is simple to do."
The initiative reinforces a shared commitment to player safety, fan well-being, and positive community impact. The American Heart Association provides additional resources including Hands-Only CPR materials and community toolkits available in English and Spanish at www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.
