Events & Media Archive | 2020

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New health restrictions could throw a wrench into Sharks’ preparations

The APublished November 30, 2020 by The Athletic

Still, the organization is seeking contingency options for training camp, particularly if the restrictions extend beyond the current expiration date of Dec. 21. Further, many players are already in town and have been skating in small groups approximately three times a week at the team’s training facility in downtown San Jose.

On Nov. 20, Sharks president Jonathan Becher was asked if the team has explored holding training camp outside of Santa Clara County.

“That would be a last resort for us,” he said. “But if the season is going to start in January and we can’t train here, we could have to train someplace else. That is the backup plan.”

Read the full article here.

What the Sharks have been doing during the pandemic (and it’s not playing hockey)

Published November 23, 2020 by Silicon Valley Business Journal

While they wait for the next hockey season to begin — whenever that is — the San Jose Sharks have given their season ticket holders a break on renewals, kept up their payments on the SAP Center and done some work fixing up the place even though they haven’t played a game or put on an event in the arena for eight months because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Luckily, we have Hasso as an owner, who is focused on the long term and not on the short term,” team president Jonathan Becher said Friday of Sharks owner and SAP co-founder Hasso Plattner.

Read the full article here.

Sharks say they may need to leave San Jose for training camp

Published November 21, 2020 by The Mercury News

San Jose Shark president Jonathan Becher said the team will need to hold training camp outside of Santa Clara County if local health officials  do not allow players to skate in large groups at Solar4America Ice in San Jose.

“We do not yet have permission to do that,” Becher said. “We’re hoping to hear back from the county next week in order to open that up, which then would allow scrimmages and practices to start in early December.”

Read the full article here.

San Jose Sharks say Google project may force team out of SAP Center

Published November 12, 2020 by San Francisco Chronicle

The San Jose Sharks said Google’s massive real estate project and other developments near the SAP Center may force the team out of the arena, citing concerns over the removal of parking and construction disruptions for fans.

“We’re all for the development,” said Becher in an interview. “Let’s not suffocate the area while this is happening. We need it to be more well thought out.”

Read the full article here.

2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships Relocated To Las Vegas

Published November 9, 2020 by U.S. Figure Skating

The 2021 Toyota U.S. Figure Skating Championships, originally scheduled to take place in San Jose, California, Jan. 11–17, 2021, will relocate to Las Vegas and the Orleans Arena Jan. 11–21, U.S. Figure Skating announced on Monday. U.S. Figure Skating also selected San Jose and SAP Center as host of the 2023 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Both of these decisions were made unanimously by the U.S. Figure Skating Board of Directors at its Nov. 7 meeting.

“SAP Center at San Jose was prepared to safely and successfully host the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January 2021,” added Jonathan Becher, president of Sharks Sports & Entertainment and SAP Center at San Jose. “While we are disappointed to wait, we are excited to host the Championship in 2023 and showcase the City of San Jose and SAP Center to a national audience.”

Read the full article here.

SJ Exec Casts Doubt on Leaked 4th Jerseys; NHL to Release in November

Published October 27, 2020 by PGH Hockey Now

For the past several weeks, there have been numerous leaks across Twitter of new team jerseys, including a Vegas Golden Knights “fourth” sweater and a Pittsburgh Penguins fourth jersey. Most of the leaks have been retro jerseys paying homage to a team’s past, but with inverted colors. And many have been for sale.

However, according to San Jose Sharks President Jonathan Becher, the alternate sweaters were a hoax. Becher tweeted:

“Entertained by the alternate jerseys designs on social media labeled as based on inside info. We have creative fans! None of these designs are real.”

It would appear Becher went beyond the Sharks jerseys and referenced the weeks of leaks, but that is a matter of interpretation. The source of the Penguins fourth jersey was an eBay seller. Are the Penguins fourth jerseys fakes, discarded prototypes, or real? Until another team comments, either way, we have reason to wonder.

Read the full article here.

Sharks president gives funny response to fake jersey design

Published October 22, 2020 by NBC Sports

No, those won’t be the Sharks’ new alternate uniforms for next season.

Toronto hockey writer Howard Berger shared a photo on social media showing what appeared to be a throwback uniform design for San Jose, paying homage to the now-defunct California Seals.

Sharks president Jonathan Becher shut down the rumors Thursday morning, indicating that none of the circulating jersey designs on social media are in fact legitimate.

Read the full article here.

Teal Talk: Voter Engagement

Published October 21, 2020 by San Jose Sharks and SAP

Sharks President Jonathan Becher talks with California Secretary of State, Alex Padilla about Voter Engagement and logistics surrounding the upcoming Election.

Watch the full video here.

Outlook unclear for the return of live events in Silicon Valley

Published October 15, 2020 by Mercury News

The path back toward having live events — with audiences — in Santa Clara County is still uncharted territory — but something needs to happen soon. That was the main message Thursday morning from a panel discussion hosted by the Silicon Valley Organization on the future of live events in a COVID-19 world.

“I think what happens in the next 4 to 6 weeks will set the stage for 2021,” Sharks President Jonathan Becher said, noting that the great strides made by the NFL and Major League Baseball won’t necessarily translate to an indoor arena like SAP Center, where most of its 175-plus events a year are non-televised. “No fans is not a sustainable model. It may work for a Sharks game, but it doesn’t work for a concert.”

Read the full article here.