Becher: Sharks Aren’t Leaving Bay Area, No Matter What Happens With SAP Center Agreement

The Sharks could leave San Jose in four years.

But Sharks Sports and Entertainment president Jonathan Becher is very optimistic about the team’s future in San Jose and at SAP Center.

Becher spoke with the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast last Thursday about the San Jose Sharks’ future at their long-time home, the positive Macklin Celebrini effect on business, owner Hasso Plattner, and more.

Here are some key takeaways from the wide-ranging interview, which also included a lengthy discussion about why it took the long-suffering Sharks so long to commence their rebuild.

Sharks Aren’t Leaving Bay Area

On July 1, 2025, the San Jose Sharks’ arena management agreement with the city of San Jose changes, “unfavorably” for the Sharks, according to Becher.

At that point, the Sharks do have the option to give three years notice to leave city-owned SAP Center.

The Sharks and the city of San Jose currently are working to amend their agreement.

“We’re in very regular conversations with the city. We’ve had a fantastic relationship. A lot of Bay Area sports teams have not had very good relationships with their cities. We are not one of them,” Becher said. “Conversations are going well. If you ask me this today, July 11, 2024, I don’t see much probability that we end up on [Jul. 1, 2025] in an unfavorable situation.”

Even if the San Jose Sharks’ arena management agreement with the city of San Jose remains unfavorable, Becher says the franchise will remain a Bay Area team.

“Hasso has been very clear. He’s a Bay Area guy. He wants to stay in San Jose,” Becher said. “And if for some reason, this site doesn’t work out, we would look at other places in San Jose first, and then, the rest of the Bay Area.”

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