Upcoming San Jose Sharks dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Sharks seats worth reserving
The strongest seat for a San Jose Sharks game is a lower-level sideline section at center ice, in the middle rows. From there you look over the benches and penalty boxes, which run along the sides, and keep both nets in view. SAP Center, known to fans as the Shark Tank, seats 17,435 for hockey.
- Value with a good angle: a raised row in a lower-level corner, which shows both nets on a diagonal.
- Budget seat that still reads the game: the upper level at center ice.
- Least expensive: upper-level end sections behind the nets.
- Seats to rethink: the first rows directly behind the benches, and the curved corner glass.
Two bowls and a penthouse ring
SAP Center opened on September 7, 1993, at 525 West Santa Clara Street. Seat-view guides that follow the arena's map show a simple layout.
Lower level, sections 101 to 128
The ring around the rink, and the most sought-after tier. The middle rows are the sweet spot; the very front rows trade the far-end view for proximity.
Upper level, sections 201 to 228
Above a ring of suites. Hockey reads well from height, so center sections here are a sound buy even for regulars.
Suites
One ring of suites sits at the concourse level, another in a penthouse ring near the roof.
Capacity dipped slightly, to 17,435 as of 2023 from 17,562, after part of the building became a penthouse lounge. Check the exact section on the seat map at checkout.
Diagonal corners and other Tank trade-offs
Glass
Front-row glass seats bring the noise and the speed. They do not bring a clear look at the far net, and in the corners the curved glass bends the view.
Raised corners
A few rows up in a lower-level corner, you see both goals on an angle for less than center ice costs. This is one of the more underrated buys in the building.
Ends
The home team attacks one net in the first and third periods. The sources for this page do not confirm which end that is for the Sharks, and seat maps rarely show it, so check the team's seating chart or a seat-view guide and watch warmups. Upper-level ends are the least expensive seats, and the hardest place to judge plays at the far net.
Timing
Whatever seat you pick, be in it before puck drop. The lights go down, a 17-foot open shark mouth descends from the rafters with its eyes flashing red, fog pours out, and the team skates onto the ice through it. Fans stuck in a concession line miss the best part of the pregame.
Kings nights and the softer weeknights
From 2026–27, NHL teams play 84 regular-season games, 42 at home, after a four-game September preseason. The 2026–27 schedule opens September 29, 2026, and ends April 10, 2027; the playoffs follow into June.
- Los Angeles Kings: the in-state rival. The two met outdoors in the 2015 Stadium Series at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, before 70,205.
- Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights: nearby Pacific Division clubs whose fans can drive or take a short flight.
- Original Six clubs and teams with star players: big national followings bring their own crowds.
- Saturdays and the holiday stretch: families fill these dates.
Weeknights against Eastern Conference teams with smaller followings give you the most choice, and those listings often ease in price as the game approaches.
Diridon across the street: Caltrain, ACE and VTA
San Jose Diridon station sits across the street from the arena, which makes this one of the better rail trips in the league.
- Caltrain: from San Francisco and the Peninsula.
- Altamont Corridor Express (ACE): from Stockton and the Tri-Valley.
- Capitol Corridor: from Sacramento and the East Bay.
- VTA light rail: stops near Diridon and on San Fernando Street at Delmas Avenue.
- Driving: the main lot has about 1,500 spaces, entered from Santa Clara and Julian Streets; season ticket holders can prepay.
- Cycling: free bike docks on Barack Obama Boulevard near the ticket office.
Train service thins out late on weeknights, so check the last departure on the arena's transit page before you buy.
Door times, the 20-inch bag limit and payment
As of the arena's current posted policies:
- Fast lane: bags no larger than 5 by 9 by 2 inches.
- Screening lanes: bags and backpacks up to 20 by 14 by 11 inches, after X-ray, which takes longer.
- Under the seat: every bag has to fit there, and there is no bag check or locker.
- Payment: the arena calls itself near-cashless, so carry a card.
- Re-entry: generally not allowed.
- Doors for Sharks games: 60 to 75 minutes ahead on weekdays and 75 to 90 minutes ahead on weekends and holidays, depending on membership status.
Read the bag policy before you go, since rules change. Every Reserved Seat order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Cow Palace to 2051: the Sharks story so far
San Jose joined the NHL in 1991 through an unusual deal: the Gund brothers sold their share of the Minnesota North Stars and received the new franchise in return. The team played two seasons at the Cow Palace, south of San Francisco, then moved downtown in 1993. S. J. Sharkie, the mascot, first appeared in January 1992, bursting out of a Zamboni during an intermission there.
- 1994: as an eighth seed, San Jose upset top-seeded Detroit in the first round, one of the biggest playoff shocks on record.
- 1997: the arena hosted the NHL All-Star Game.
- 2008–09: the Presidents' Trophy for the best regular season.
- 2014–15: missing the playoffs for the first time in ten years.
- 2016: the club's only Final, lost to Pittsburgh in six, with Games 3, 4 and 6 played in San Jose.
The Cup has not come yet. Patrick Marleau (522 goals as a Shark) and Joe Thornton (804 assists) are the franchise's defining players, and their numbers, 12 and 19, are retired. The building has been San Jose Arena, Compaq Center (2001–2002) and HP Pavilion (2002–2013) before becoming SAP Center in 2013. In August 2025 the team agreed to stay through 2051, tied to a planned renovation of about 425 million dollars.
Frequently asked questions
What happens before puck drop at SAP Center?
The lights drop, a 17-foot shark mouth is lowered from the rafters with flashing red eyes and fog, and the Sharks skate out through it. Be seated early to see it.
Are corner seats a good buy at a Sharks game?
A few rows up in a lower-level corner, yes. You see both nets on a diagonal for less than center ice usually costs; skip the corner glass row, where the curve distorts the view.
Which trains stop near the arena?
Caltrain, ACE and the Capitol Corridor stop at San Jose Diridon station across the street, and VTA light rail stops nearby.
Can I bring a backpack to a Sharks game?
As of the current policy, backpacks up to 20 by 14 by 11 inches are allowed after X-ray, and there is no bag check. Check the policy before you go.
Is SAP Center cashless?
The arena describes itself as near-cashless, so bring a card or mobile wallet.
How long will the Sharks play at SAP Center?
An extension agreed in August 2025 keeps the team at the arena until 2051, along with planned upgrades of about 425 million dollars.