Jonathan Becher, president of Sharks Sports & Entertainment, listed the pandemic as the biggest reason why attendance for NHL games at the downtown arena has cratered this season, even though it appears the Sharks will miss the playoffs for a third straight year.

Becher attributed some of that to the surge of the Omicron variant, adding with cases receding, over 15,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday’s home game with the Boston Bruins. Santa Clara County, as of Wednesday, had a seven-day rolling average of 555 new cases of COVID, down from around 5,000 in early January.

“So that’s evidence that people will come back as restrictions ease and as they feel safer,” Becher said. “There’s no guarantee in life but it does seem that way.”

Becher said the team has sold about 9,500 season tickets for next season, which is down from around 11,000 two years ago, with a renewal rate of about 85 percent.

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Doug Henschen talks to Jonathan Becher about why brands are so heavily involved in sports and whether it’s better to sponsor a league or a team.

Watch the ConstellationTV interview here.

Before he became the President of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, Jonathan Becher was one of the premiere marketing executives in the technology industry.  And it’s safe to say he brought the visionary approach he developed at companies like SAP with him to the Sharks – which has paid off during the past 18 months as the pandemic disrupted the traditional fan experience.

Becher and the Sharks have been one of the more innovative teams in all of sports, which is why my CRM Playaz co-host Paul Greenberg and I were excited to catch up with Becher via LinkedIn Live to see what he and the Sharks have been up to, how they’ve been exploring ways to create more aligned fan experiences to the current situation with the pandemic, how lessons learned during the pandemic are being implemented in preparation for life after Covid, and to get his perspective on where he sees the puck going – so to speak – with how fans will experience content in the coming years, including how they become collaborators and creators with their favorite sports franchises.

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San José Mayor Sam Liccardo was joined by Josh Fryday, California Volunteers Chief Service Officer, Office of Governor Newsom, Jessica Morse, Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources Agency, Andrea Mackenzie, General Manager, Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, Dorsey Moore, Executive Director, San José Conservation Corps, city staff and volunteers from San José Resilience Corps to perform wildfire fuel reduction work in honor of California’s Climate Action Week and to declare San José’s Climate Action Day.

Jonathan Becher, President of the San José Sharks
“For more than 25 years, the Sharks Foundation has provided assistance and aid to those in our community who need it most and at times when it’s imperative that they receive it. We are proud to, once again, partner with SAP as well as the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council County FireSafe Council to fund the production of 200 “Go Bags” which will provide immediate help and support to those who may require and could possibly save lives during a fire emergency.”

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Most brands would kill to have a fanbase dedicated enough to tattoo the company logo on them.

But what if I told you that superfans like these can hurt your brand?

Even in sports.

This counterintuitive discovery is one of many lessons today’s guest, Jonathan Becher, has learned during his tenure as President of the San Jose Sharks. He joins the show to share how he increased the team’s fanbase through inclusivity and shifting to a more community-driven CX.

Listen to the podcast here.

Without ever playing an official game in its home city, the Oakland Panthers of the Indoor Football League announced Monday the team is moving to San Jose and changing its name.

The 17,562-seat SAP Center already plays host to the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League and the San Jose Barracuda of the American Hockey League. Jonathan Becher, president of Sharks Sports & Entertainment, which owns both teams and manages the arena, said in a news release he’s happy to have another team playing there.

“We are prepared to host live events with fans and spectators in attendance in a safe and healthy environment,” he said. “We look forward to hosting the Panthers and its fan base.”

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Clerks director Kevin Smith turned 51 this week and his birthday also marked the start of production on the long-awaited Clerks III.

“Dear @SanJoseSharks: We would like to recreate this scene with @JayMewes from CLERKS in our new movie we’re shooting called CLERKS III. We haven’t been able to get a permission response, even with the aid of the @NJDevils. Can you help us? Please contact @JordanMonsanto. Thanks!,” Smith wrote.

“We got you, @ThatKevinSmith. Will follow up with @JordanMonsanto but I want it known that I wasn’t even supposed to be here today,” Jonathan Becher, the San Jose Sharks President, replied.

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San Jose Sharks President Jonathan Becher appeared on Fox Business – Cavuto: Coast to Coast to talk about becoming first NHL team to accept cryptocurrency.

Watch the interview here.

San Jose Sharks President Jonathan Becher joined the Rotary Club of Oakland Civic Meeting to discuss the Business of Sports (Now and Future).

Watch the discussion here.

The San Jose Sharks NHL team will now join the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Oakland Athletics, Southampton F.C. and other professional sports teams accepting Bitcoin.

“We’re accepting PayPal, so then by definition, we’re accepting cryptocurrency. Why not embrace it and make it more visible as opposed to just doing it through a third party?,” said Becher.

Becher also explained via Twitter that the team will allow cryptocurrency to be used for season tickets, suite leases and partnerships but other use-cases would be reviewed in the future.

Read the full article here.