Under the extended partnership, SAP Center in San Jose, California will continue to be the home arena of the professional ice hockey team San Jose Sharks until 2028.
German tech giant SAP and Sharks Sports & Entertainment (SSE), the parent company of the San Jose Sharks and SAP Center at San Jose, sealed the deal to extend their collaborative alliance for another five years. Aside from continuing the arena naming rights agreement of SAP Center, the agreement between the two powerhouses also entails pursuing their commitment to co-innovation in sports, supporting local non-profit programs, and developing intelligent solutions for community and business challenges.
“SAP exemplifies a true partner who shares a common vision, values, and focus on innovation,” commented Jonathan Becher, President of Sharks Sports & Entertainment. “With the extension of our partnership, we look forward to even more collaboration, focused on pioneering the future of sports and entertainment and improving the lives of those in our community.”
Going Beyond the Naming Rights of SAP Center in San Jose
Since 2013, SAP has agreed to the naming rights sponsorship of the Sharks’ home arena to SAP Center, which will now take up to a decade and a half under the latest agreement. Apart from SAP Center being the landmark of their longstanding partnership– establishing it as a premier sports and entertainment venue in Northern California– SAP and SSE have set out several initiatives that leverage their leadership in the tech space and field of sports, respectively.
Enhance the Lives in the Bay Area
Part of the initial deal was for the organizations to contribute annually through the Sharks Foundation a hefty amount of $375,000 to local non-profit organizations. Throughout almost a decade, SAP and the Sharks have granted over $3.75 Million to non-profit programs focused on supporting the under-represented youth and families in the Bay Area.
Now, under the expanded agreement, SAP and Sharks Foundation commit to donating around $500,000 per year throughout five years– estimated to reach over $6 Million by 2028.
Furthermore, SAP will participate in the Sharks DI&B Partnership Program as a presenting sponsor. The program allows local Bay Area businesses to be Sharks’ partners at reduced or zero cost.
Drive Technology Innovation
Centered on creating solutions to tackle pressing business or community challenges, SAP and SSE will feature third parties to compete in the Sharks Innovation Challenge Series. Winners will have the chance to pitch for funding for their winning concepts.
Since its launch, SAP Center has been designated as a technology incubator for an array of use cases to accelerate business growth and enhance the fan experience. For instance, Sharks are leveraging several SAP cloud solutions such as SAP Business Technology Platform (SAP BTP) for data and analytics, SAP S/4HANA Cloud for finance, SAP SuccessFactors for HR, SAP Concur for travel expense management, and SAP Customer Experience solutions.
Similarly, SAP is co-innovating with NHL to improve coaching and champion sustainability. SAP-NHL Coaching Insights App for iPad integrates from NHL Edge, a puck and player tracking system, and harnesses the power of analytics to improve coaching, playing, and the fan experience. NHL Venue Metrics, a newly developed cloud-based solution powered by SAP BTP, measures and analyzes the carbon footprint of the clubs and arenas, including energy, water, waste, and recycling.
Co-Branding
SAP remains to be the Sharks’ away games helmet decal partner, which started in 2021. Additionally, SAP continues to be a Teal Inner Circle member, which entitles the software enterprise company to avail distinctive benefits focused on access, recognition, and one-of-a-kind assets such as road trips with the team, intimate events with Shark team members, and special employee engagements. Teal Inner Circle is an exclusive group within the SSE roster of global partners that share a common vision to pioneer and co-innovate the future of sports, along with Kaiser Permanente, Western Digital, Zoom, and Tech CU.
“Over the years, our involvement with Sharks Sports & Entertainment has remained focused on using leading technology to deliver enhanced insights that help the organization achieve its business goals, grow its global fan base, and give back to the local community,” shared Yaad Oren, Managing Director of SAP Labs US and Head of SAP Innovation Center Network. “With our longstanding partnership, we are excited to continue evolving our commitment to cultivating innovation in the Bay Area at the SAP Center.”
