“Welcome to the Shark Tank!” – Kevin O’Leary

Arena: SAP Center (1993)

Location: Downtown San Jose

Game Attended: January 15, 2015 vs Toronto

Game Result: 3-1 Sharks victory

Seat Location: Lower Level, Sharks 1x End

Overall Impression: Really Nice Arena, Good Game Experience

I’ve been, and will always be, a die-hard Flyers fan. But growing up playing forward, I absolutely loved watching the Sharks play. And by that I mean they were always really good on NHL video games. Tons of scoring potential, guys like Nolan, Marleau, Damphousse, Cheechoo, Thornton, and now Pavelski, Couture, Burns, Kane, and Karlsson. Talk about a WAGON of a team now!

So when I spent a week in Silicon Valley in January 2015 on a college business class trip, I figured, “What the heck, a Sharks game isn’t far away! And when else am I going to be out in California with a free night within an hour of San Jose?” So I rounded up five classmates, ditched the rest of the class, and caught a Caltrain from Palo Alto down to San Jose. And it would’ve been worth it just for the sunset Instagram photo!

But thankfully, there was more to the night than a great color filter and 24 social media likes. In fact, SAP Center is a great place to see a hockey game! It’s easy to get there via the Caltrain from the Valley & San Francisco, as Diridon Station is right across the street. Sharks fans were enjoyable to be around, and the arena was packed on a Thursday night. And the arena itself looks like a product of its Silicon Valley neighbors: bright, vibrant, tons of glass and natural light in the concourses, looks brand new. It didn’t feel dark at all inside, which really helped the place seem warm and inviting.

The only problem I could really find was the shark infestation…..on ice?

All jokes aside, the shark tunnel may seem cheesy to some, but I thought it was really cool, especially considering I’d never seen a team entrance like that at a hockey game before. And naturally, when the Sharks go on a power play, the theme from Jaws plays, and the Sharks faithful make jaw-crunching motions with their hands reminiscent of the Florida Gators chant. Cliché? Maybe, but it was still cool to see the first couple times.

As for the arena concessions, I can’t really comment because our group enjoyed dinner in downtown San Jose. On that note, the downtown area is maybe a ten minute walk or so from SAP Center, and while it didn’t have the same fun vibes as a larger city like New York or San Francisco, it still seemed pretty nice and clean. And it looks like there are plenty of restaurants and bars within a decent walk for fans to enjoy a bite or a brew. We had a good meal at O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub on San Pedro Street.

For a fun, spur of the moment decision that our professors may or may not have endorsed, our evening at the Shark Tank was a lot of fun! It helped, of course, that the Sharks went up 2-0 five minutes in and won 3-1. Overall, I’d say the SAP Center is a pretty nice place to see a game. I’m sure weekend games and concessions can get expensive, but that’s Silicon Valley for you. But for a market that lost a Second Six team when the Golden Seals moved to Cleveland in 1976, the fans of the Bay Area have responded very well to the Sharks. The additions of Evander Kane and Erik Karlsson made this perennial contender a favorite in 2019, and I hope the Sharks win a Cup someday soon!

Building: 3.5 / 5

Atmosphere: 3 / 5

Neighborhood: 3 / 5

Overall: 3 / 5