Fanatic fun

With many goals, fun chants, and penalties, the game itself is not the only thing offered to fans, as there are many options for alternative excitement.

From Konjoe Burger to The Carvery to Dippin’ Dots, there are many food and drink options open to the fans as well.

“As for food and drinks, they’re pretty good with their selection, and if you get club level seats, the choices are even better with many more craft beer selections, vegan and gluten-free choices, and you can even order from your seats,” Escobedo said.

However, food and drinks are not the only things sold at the games. The merchandise selections are also huge, holding great significance to both the players and the fans.

“Their merchandise is not cheap, but they do always have jerseys and hats. People tend to buy new hats because they will sometimes throw them down to the ice when a player gets a hat trick, which is three goals in a game, thus forfeiting their hat,” Escobedo said.

Apart from food and merchandise, the arena has more to offer than hockey. As the noise level in the stadium approaches an all-time high, the Sharks mascot comes flying onto the ice. 

According to the San Jose Sharks, their mascot, S.J. Sharkie, was initially debuted in 1992 and has become one of the most recognized mascots around the world. His task of entertaining the tank includes his well-known tricks of hat-throwing, dancing, and more.

“A consistent and familiar presence at every Sharks home game, Sharkie has the enviable task of entertaining a sold-out crowd in San Jose night in and night out, performing a variety of exciting death-defying and unique stunts and acts. Sharkie’s nightly performances range from rappelling from SAP Center at San Jose’s rafters to speeding across the ice on his four-wheel all-terrain vehicle,” said San Jose Sharks staff.

S.J. Sharkie is one of the top highlights of the game. Fans can also order special services with the mascot. These may include him showing up to specified seats at a game or even buying a package for him to show up at a birthday party.

During the game, the two intermissions give the fans many different opportunities.

For fans that don’t need a break, the jumbotron inside the arena offers little games and videos that they can entertain themselves with during the wait, one of the biggest being the kiss cam.

Below is an example of a video shown during an intermission, which includes the Sharks fulfilling a fan’s wish from the Make-A-Wish America foundation.

Hayden Bradley: Wish Made

15-year-old Hayden Bradley’s wish of being a member of the San Jose Sharks for a day was made thanks to the Sharks Foundation and Make-A-Wish. But it di…

For fans that attend the games in celebration of an event, they can purchase a message on the jumbotron that is shown during these intermissions.

Along with giving the fans a break, the players get one too. They are given a chance to have a massage or ice bath during the intermissions.

“All of those amenities, including ice baths and massages, are made available. It is completely dependent on the player and whatever injury, rehab, or maintenance scenario they are dealing with,” Emmert said.

When the game comes to a close and the winning team is decided, the fans always think of their wishes to meet the team or ride on the Zamboni.

“I’ve always wanted to meet the team. Of course, I have my favorites: Logan Couture, Evander Kane, Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, the list goes on. If I could, it would be really cool to actually be on the ice and learn how to shoot with the players, but I don’t know if they’ve ever done anything like that,” Escobedo said.

Other fans wish for unique experiences.

“I’ve always thought it would be cool to shadow broadcaster Randy Hanh. I’d love to sit in the broadcast booth and watch them in action. It must be so hard to remember all the players’ names and numbers for both teams,” Litzenberger said.

Nonetheless, the team has a tough time picking which fans get the amazing opportunity of meeting the team or overall having a unique experience.

“Most of those opportunities are through winning a contest or a special events package that is offered through our ticketing department,” Emmert said.