What San Jose Sharks does

The San Jose Sharks are a privately held professional NHL hockey franchise founded in 1991 and headquartered at the 17,562-seat SAP Center in San Jose, California. The team competes in the NHL Pacific Division and is legally organized as San Jose Sharks, LLC, under the parent operating company Sharks Sports & Entertainment (SSE), with ownership financed by Mark Walter and Kimbra. The franchise fields a roster anchored by a young core featuring Macklin Celebrini (franchise-record 115 points in 2025-26), Will Smith, and Michael Misa, supported by four consecutive top-five draft picks and over $40 million in NHL salary-cap space. Core operations span the NHL club, the AHL affiliate San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks Ice community facilities, and the newly added PWHL San Jose expansion franchise that begins play in the 2026-27 season.

Revenue is generated across four primary streams: ticketing (individual games, group nights, multi-game packages, the Sharks365 season-ticket membership, and premium hospitality suites at SAP Center distributed via Ticketmaster and the official Sharks mobile app), corporate partnerships and sponsorship (anchored by the SAP Center naming-rights deal with SAP and venue-level partners including NetApp), merchandise and retail (Sharks Store at SAP Center and Shop NHL.com), and the new PWHL expansion franchise. Distribution runs through Ticketmaster as the official ticketing partner, direct corporate sales for premium hospitality, and physical/online retail for merchandise; digital fan engagement extends through an owned mobile app, the Sharks Audio Network and podcasts, SMS (Teal Texts), email, and active accounts across Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Twitch. The franchise also operates the Sharks Foundation and youth hockey programs across Northern California, where the Bay Area ranks sixth nationally in girls' hockey participation, supporting long-term community-level pipeline and brand-building activities.

Name

San Jose Sharks

Legal name

San Jose Sharks, LLC

Website

https://sjsharks.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The San Jose Sharks are an NHL professional hockey franchise founded in 1991 and based in San Jose, California, playing at SAP Center under Sharks Sports & Entertainment. They generate revenue from ticketing, corporate partnerships, merchandise, and the PWHL San Jose expansion team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Franchise (NHL Hockey)

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Team Sports Clubs (Football/Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Hockey, Rugby, Cricket, etc.) (MPAKABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

League/Team-Owned Digital Broadcast Networks (MPAKAOAC), Athlete & Team Sponsorship Deals (Official Partners, Jersey/Kit Sponsors) (MPAKALAA)

Keywords

• Professional hockey team
• Live sports entertainment
• Season ticket membership
• Corporate sponsorship deals
• Premium hospitality suites

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from individual game tickets, group nights, multi-game packages, season ticket plans (Sharks365), and premium hospitality suites at SAP Center.
2. Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorship: Revenue from corporate sponsors and partners including SAP Center naming rights and various branded partnerships across the franchise.
3. Merchandise & Retail: Revenue from Sharks merchandise sold at the Sharks Store at SAP Center and online through Shop NHL.com.
4. PWHL Expansion Revenue: The San Jose PWHL expansion team represents a new revenue stream for the Sharks Sports & Entertainment organization, with roster building through expansion draft, draft picks, and free agency for the 2026-27 season.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The San Jose Sharks operate a professional NHL hockey franchise competing in the Pacific Division, selling tickets (individual games, group nights, multi-game packages, Sharks365 season memberships) and premium hospitality at SAP Center in San Jose. The franchise generates revenue through corporate partnerships and sponsorships (including SAP Center naming rights), merchandise sales at the Sharks Store and Shop NHL.com, and is expanding into women's professional hockey via the PWHL San Jose expansion team for the 2026-27 season. The Sharks + SAP Center mobile app and digital platforms extend fan engagement through news, video content, podcasts (Sharks Audio Network), and the Teal Texts SMS notification service.

Product overview

The San Jose Sharks organization operates as a professional sports entertainment company centered on its NHL hockey team. The core product is the San Jose Sharks professional hockey franchise, complemented by digital offerings including the Official Sharks Mobile App, Teal Texts notification service, and Sharks Audio Network podcasts. The organization operates SAP Center as its home venue and supports community engagement through the Sharks Foundation and Youth Hockey Programs. The San Jose Barracuda AHL affiliate serves as the primary player development team. The portfolio is structured around live hockey entertainment, supported by venue operations, digital fan engagement platforms, and community outreach initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• San Jose Sharks NHL Hockey Games (Individual Game Tickets) Single-game NHL hockey tickets for regular season and other games at SAP Center, sold to individual fans via Ticketmaster and the Sharks Mobile App for Bay Area and visiting fans.
• Sharks365 Season Ticket Membership Season ticket membership program offering dedicated fans season-long seating, exclusive benefits, priority access, and member-only experiences at SAP Center.
• Multi-Game Ticket Packages Pre-built ticket bundles spanning multiple Sharks home games, sold to fans seeking a partial-season experience without committing to a full season ticket.
• Group Nights and Corporate Group Packages Discounted ticket blocks for organizations, social groups, and teams attending Sharks games together at SAP Center.
• Premium Hospitality (NetApp Celly Lounge / SAP Center Suites) Premium B2B hospitality including the NetApp Celly Lounge and private corporate suites at SAP Center for client entertainment and corporate entertaining.
• Sharks Merchandise (Sharks Store at SAP Center and Shop NHL.com) Sharks-branded jerseys, apparel, and fan gear sold at the Sharks Store at SAP Center and via the NHL's online Shop NHL.com marketplace.
• Official Sharks Mobile App Official mobile application for iOS and Android providing fans with team news, schedule, ticketing, video content, and digital engagement for the Sharks, SAP Center, and Sharks Ice Facilities.
• Teal Texts SMS Notification Service Opt-in text message notification service delivering Sharks team news, ticket offers, special events, and merchandise announcements to fans via SMS.
• PWHL San Jose Expansion Team Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) expansion team owned and operated by Sharks Sports & Entertainment, playing home games at SAP Center beginning in the 2026-27 season.
• San Jose Barracuda (AHL Affiliate Team) AHL minor league affiliate of the San Jose Sharks, developing prospects for the NHL team. The Barracuda play at Tech CU Arena as a wholly owned subsidiary of Sharks Sports & Entertainment.
• Sharks Ice Facilities Ice rinks operated by Sharks Sports & Entertainment offering public skating, youth hockey leagues, figure skating, and rental opportunities, supporting Bay Area hockey infrastructure.
• Sharks Foundation Community Programs Charitable arm of the Sharks organization funding youth hockey, educational programs, and community development across Northern California, including 'Hockey Is For Everyone' and school programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86-point season in 2025-26, best performance since 2018-19 playoffs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PWHL (Professional Women's Hockey League)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026The San Jose PWHL expansion team is owned and operated by Sharks Sports & Entertainment, playing at SAP Center. This represents a significant expansion of the Sharks' hockey operations into women's professional hockey, with the PWHL expanding from 8 to 12 teams. Troy Ryan was named head coach and GM of the expansion team.
• NetAppminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 May 2026NetApp holds naming rights to the NetApp Celly Lounge at SAP Center, a premium hospitality space at the Sharks' home arena.
• San Jose Barracuda / San Diego GullsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026The San Jose Barracuda (AHL) and San Diego Gulls are the Sharks' minor league affiliates, developing prospects for the NHL team. The Barracuda plays at Tech CU Arena.
• SAP Center (SAP)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 1 January 1997SAP holds the naming rights to the San Jose Sharks' home arena, which is known as SAP Center (also called the Shark Tank). SAP is a major enterprise software company and long-standing partner of the Sharks organization, with the arena serving as the primary venue for Sharks games and events.
• Coca-ColaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoca-Cola sponsors the Sharks & Barracuda Street Team Presented by Coca-Cola, a mobile fan engagement activation at the SAP Center and community events.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTicketmaster serves as the primary digital ticketing platform for San Jose Sharks tickets, powering individual game ticket sales, group packages, and multi-game packages through the official team website and mobile app.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Los Angeles Kings: Pacific Division NHL rival headquartered in the largest California TV market; directly comparable franchise economics around ticketing, suite revenue, and media-rights share in the same NHL Western Conference context.
• Anaheim Ducks: Pacific Division NHL rival in the same Southern California geographic market; comparable business model around family-driven ticket pricing, Honda Center venue operations, and California-based corporate sponsorship mix.
• Vegas Golden Knights: Pacific Division NHL franchise with similarly aggressive expansion-era corporate partnership and ticket pricing strategy; directly comparable as a Western Conference team with strong enterprise sponsor density.
• Edmonton Oilers: Pacific Division NHL team with star-driven fan engagement model (McDavid) comparable to the Sharks' Celebrini-anchored go-to-market, sharing media-rights and divisional economics.
• Calgary Flames: Pacific Division NHL team with the same divisional travel footprint, comparable corporate-partnership and ticketing economics, and similar SMG-style arena operations.
• Vancouver Canucks: Pacific Division NHL rival operating Rogers Arena with comparable attendance and corporate sponsorship dynamics in the Pacific Northwest; directly comparable Pacific Division economics.
• Seattle Kraken: Newer Pacific Division NHL franchise similarly expanding corporate partner networks and non-traditional content platforms, with overlapping target geography in the Pacific Northwest tech corridor.

Broad incumbents

• Colorado Avalanche: Western Conference NHL franchise with broader championship pedigree and similar Ball Arena-style multi-purpose venue operations; useful comp for franchise valuation and cap-strategy benchmarking.
• Toronto Maple Leafs: Original Six NHL franchise operating as a much larger incumbent comparable; instructive on long-tenured corporate sponsor economics, premium hospitality, and national media rights valuation.
• New York Rangers: Original Six NHL franchise with the highest benchmark valuations in the league; comparable enterprise sponsor ecosystem and arena revenue mix for setting franchise valuation reference points.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/SanJoseSharks
• YouTubeyoutube.com/sanjosesharks
• Facebookfacebook.com/sanjosesharks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/san-jose-sharks
• Instagraminstagram.com/sanjosesharks
• TikToktiktok.com/@sanjosesharks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about San Jose Sharks