This hockey season, the SAP Center’s ice isn’t the only action sport for Sharks fans. Suspended approximately 50 feet in the air, the latest technological marvel for arena sports is also an eye-catcher.

“When fans come to games, they come for the sporting part of it, hockey. But they also come to be entertained,” said Jonathan Becher, president of the San Jose Sharks.

He said the newly installed “Center-On” display is state-of-the–art, and an upgrade over its predecessor. It measures 23 feet by 41 feet on each of its four sides, and the display has 6,000 square feet. of programmable video display.

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Sharks fans are likely to notice a new high-tech addition at their next hockey game.

A 23-foot-high, 41-foot-wide board, featuring what they call “force perspective 3D,” with video that looks like it jumps out at you, has been added to the San Jose Shark Tank.

“We’re here in Silicon Valley, right? Tech capitol of the world, so using technology to get them to go, ‘oh, I never thought we could do that’ it’s something we get asked for, it’s in our DNA,” said Jonathan Becher, president of Sharks Sports Entertainment.

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The origins of the San Jose Sharks can be traced back to the 1967 NHL expansion. The San Francisco Seals, a WHL minor league team, was purchased by a new owner who moved them from the Cow Palace to the Oakland Area and renamed them the California Seals. Over the next 7 years, they had four different owners, eight different coaches, and two other names (Oakland Seals, California Golden Seals). In 1976, the Seals relocated to Cleveland, Ohio and became the Cleveland Barons. Unfortunately, they only lasted two seasons in Cleveland, merging with the Minnesota North Stars in 1978.

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Sports and entertainment will always be about the audience, but the future of sports requires thinking about how to mesh the physical and digital realms.

The tech industry is known for taking risks, pushing boundaries, and innovating to achieve greater products and experiences for consumers. When Jonathan Becher joined Sharks Sports and Entertainment – which owns the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks – he used his tech background to grow the organization. It paid off, big time.

The Sharks didn’t have Twitch, a popular live-streaming service with interactive content for gaming, sports, music, and more. During the pandemic, he led the organization through the adoption of the platform, employing a mindset of, “Let’s get it 60% right and then adjust on the fly.”

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“Doug Wilson’s imprint on this franchise is unmistakable – on and off the ice,” said Sharks President Jonathan Becher. “As the new expansion team’s first captain in 1991, he set a standard and helped build a foundation that would allow the team to quickly morph into one of the League’s most inspiring and successful teams. As general manager, he crafted and fostered the most successful era of Sharks hockey the franchise has seen, drafting a blueprint which allowed the Sharks to be in the upper echelon of NHL teams for victories and appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Doug’s legacy in San Jose is forever solidified and this recognition will ensure that future generations of Sharks fans will learn about his contributions to Sharks hockey.”

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The Sharks will become the latest North American team hiring Two Circles to sell a 3-by-3.5-inch jersey ad patch, which the NHL is allowing next season for the first time. Sharks President Jonathan Becher said Two Circles was selected from an initial field of five or six agencies, winning out because “they were all about the data, which really fits our culture… and they have enough experience outside of North America to bring in business from there.”

The Sharks hope to attract a buyer based on, among other factors, diversity. The team recently hired Mike Grier as the NHL’s first Black GM, and Becher maintains that the Sharks fan base is also notably diverse. He cited stats showing a season-ticket base with a high percentage of women (48% women vs. 40% general sports fans) and a fan base that is 47% non-white vs. 37% for all hockey fans. The Sharks also have 71% of fans in the 18-49 age demo vs. 51% of general sports fans.

“Whomever ends up as our partner on this will choose us because of that or because we’re one of the most tech-savvy teams, with a tech owner (SAP co-founder Hasso Plattner) and we’re in Silicon Valley,” said Becher, who also served as chief digital officer and CMO at SAP before joining the Sharks.