February 2025
SAN JOSE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HOSTS SHARKS, OTHER SOUTH BAY SPORTS FRANCHISES TO DISCUSS THE FISCAL AND COMMUNITY IMPACTS OF LIVE SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
On Jan. 30, the San Jose Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual member dinner, entitled “Leaders and Legacy.” The focus of the event was the transformative power of sports and entertainment to foster community unity and drive local economic growth.
Hosted by Chamber President & CEO Leah Toeniskoetter and Chair of the Board of Directors Rob Lindo, the event brought together San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, multiple members of the San Jose City Council, and representatives from each of the South Bay-based professional sports teams: San Jose Sharks President Jonathan Becher; San Francisco Executive VP Marketing Stephanie Dittmer Rogers; San Jose Earthquakes President Jared Shawlee; and Bay FC CFO Bernard Gutmann. The executives participated in a panel discussion moderated by San Jose State President Cynthia Teniente-Matson.
In addition to the fiscal impact of the sports teams based in the South Bay, the discussion centered around 2026 when the Bay Area will see an influx of some of the sporting world’s most prominent events, including Super Bowl LX, six FIFA World Cup 26 games, and NCAA men’s basketball West Regional games at SAP Center at San Jose.
“We have to start to think of sports and entertainment as an economy, rather than here is one event, here is another, and then another,” Toeniskoetter told the Mercury News. “These are three phenomenal events, potentially generating half a billion dollars of economic impact for Santa Clara County.”
She added: “We have to make larger investments, so our area is even more attractive to these national and international sports events. We need to create literal entertainment districts around the arenas and stadiums in the area.”
“San Jose could benefit greatly from visitors that come to a sports and entertainment district,” added Becher. “Atlanta reports 10 million people per year visiting the Battery entertainment district, with only 3.5 million of them attending Truist Park to see the Braves. What if San Jose had a similar way to attract the other 6.5 million people?”
Read the entire discussion via the Mercury News here.
SHARKS HOST ANNUAL PRIDE GAME CELEBRATION
Each season, the Sharks are proud to host a Pride celebration to recognize the LGBTQIA+ community while showcasing the importance of inclusion, visibility, and pride. This year’s event was a two-day affair, held January 10 and 11, and served as an opportunity for the Sharks organization to promote allyship with the LGBTQIA+ community while educating and fostering a safe and welcoming environment at SAP Center. 
The Sharks Pride celebration kicked-off on Friday, January 10 when members of the San Jose Sharks staff competed in a friendly, round-robin ice hockey scrimmage against members of the San Francisco Earthquakes, an LGBTQ+ adult ice hockey team, and Team Trans, an international collective of hockey players who identify as transgender and/or non-binary. The scrimmage was held at SAP Center at San Jose and was preceded by a $30,000 Community Assistant Grant check presentation from the Sharks Foundation to the San Francisco Earthquakes.
Other highlights from the evening included the Star-Spangled Banner performed by the Queer Chorus of San Francisco and San Jose City Council Member Michael Mulcahy dropping the ceremonial first puck. On hand at the scrimmage were San Jose Sharks president Jonathan Becher, Sharks alumni player Scott Hannan, and Sharks mascot S.J. Sharkie.
The Pride Celebration continued Saturday, January 11 when the Sharks hosted the Minnesota Wild for a regular season home game.
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Game activations included an auction featuring Pride-themed Sharks jerseys with crest and patch artwork designed by Local Color Artist, Melissa Marzan with net proceeds benefitting the PRIDE & Gender Equity Center at San Jose State University via the SJSU Tower Foundation.
The game will be preceded by a ceremonial puck drop by President of San Francisco Earthquakes LGBTQ+ Ice Hockey Club. Additionally, Pride-themed lighting lit the arena bowl and Pride themed music could be heard throughout the night. The Sharks center-hung video display featured videos highlighting the Sharks engagement with LGBTQ+ organizations including SV Pride, the San Francisco Earthquakes, and the Q Corner.
Also on-hand to help celebrate Pride were DJ Cisco, a dynamic music professional who spun records and hit music during breaks and intermissions and representatives from the Santa Clara County Office of LGBTQ Affairs - Division of Equity and Social Justice and PFLAG.
ROLLATI’S FOR PRE-GAME ITALIAN ELEGANCE;
PALETA FOR AN AFTER-DINNER DELIGHT
Rollati Ristorante has established itself as one of the best pre-game dinner spots in San Jose.
Immediately across from City Hall and located within the beautiful Miro development, Rollati’s brings a new vibrancy to the eastern edge of downtown. Focusing on elegant service and home spun, favorite Italian dishes served with love has proven to be Rollati’s magic formula. Regardless of the night, Rollati’s is one of the best locales for people-watching in town.
Bay View Development is the proud partner of the Vine Group that brought Rollati’s to town. Bayview Chief Investment Officer Ted McMahan talks about the importance of Miro and Rollati’s to the neighborhood. “Miro and Rollati’s is helping to deliver on the promise started with the construction of our City Hall. Rollati’s is a hub of activity that now supports other businesses in the area. We welcome you for dinner here, but please try Paleta Planeta, Mexican inspired ice pops, for a delicious after dinner delight.”
Rollati’s Ristorante
181 East Santa Clara Street
Every day for Lunch and Dinner
Paleta Planeta
Every day (Except Monday) Noon – 7 p.m. (8 p.m. Weekends)
SAN JOSE SHARKS COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL COLOR TO UNVEIL SOUTH BAY’S NEWEST COMMUNITY MURAL
On Monday, February 3, the San Jose Sharks and Local Color collaborated, once again, to unveil the South Bay’s latest art installation. Through the Sharks Community Connections Mural Project, local artist Sarah Pham revealed the latest mural in the series, this one celebrating the Lunar New Year.
The mural, located at Lion Plaza on Tully Road in San Jose, was unveiled at a special event held for the media and which included Sharks President Jonathan Becher, Sharks Senior Vice President, Government Affairs Chris Shay, Sharks Chief Marketing, Doug Bentz, Executive Director of the Sharks Foundation Kevin Brown, and Manager of Marketing Programs Tim Patnode. Also on hand were representatives from Local Color, Tully Road Eastridge Business Association, and GD Commercial Real Estate who also partnered on the project.
Pham is a first-generation, Vietnamese American who was born and raised in San Jose and currently works as a tattoo artist at the Holy Scythe Tattoo parlor located near SAP Center at San Jose. Additionally, Pham was the designer of the 2024 Sharks Lunar New Year Jersey.
"This Asian American Heritage design installation entails fairies wearing traditional Vietnamese dresses (áo dài) flying together. They are flying under the moon and in the clouds which represents the most celebrated Asian holiday, Lunar New Year,” said Pham. “Both of my parents grew up with all female siblings who all helped raise me. The fairies were inspired by the relationship between the women in my family. More specifically, the look of these fairies was inspired by my mom and sister.
Pham added, “The relationship between the fairies reminds me a lot of the Asian American community. Growing up as a first generation Asian American, I was surrounded by the immigrant generation who constantly showed support for one another in navigating the American way.”
The Sharks Community Connections Mural Project is a collection of public art from local artists in diverse communities that celebrates their culture, uniqueness, and togetherness. The Sharks Community Connections seeks to bridge the gap between under-represented communities and hockey, serving as a unifier under the Teal Together mantra. The project continues the Sharks commitment to support local artists and public art and to provide impactful experiences off the ice.
Over the past seven years, the Sharks and Local Color, a women-owned non-profit in San Jose whose mission is to build equitable pathways for creatives to thrive, have installed artwork both throughout the City of San Jose and inside of SAP Center with the goal of uplifting local community stories and further beautifying its backyard. These murals include the SAP Center 25 Years Celebration, the Sharks ‘Bleed Teal’ and the Zoom murals installation in SAP Center.