SAN JOSE – On a night meant to celebrate their commitment to the local Hispanic community, the San Jose Sharks inadvertently displayed what appeared to be a message supportive of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s deportation efforts on SAP Center’s center-hung scoreboard during the team’s game Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
During the game’s first intermission, the scoreboard displayed a message that read, “SJ SHARKS FANS/LOVE ICE !!/GET ‘EM BOYZ !”
Personalized messages sent in by fans to be displayed are typically supportive of the team or meant to wish someone a happy birthday or anniversary.
The Sharks later issued a statement apologizing for the message, which was shared widely on social media.
“During the first intermission of tonight’s game, an offensively worded message which had been externally submitted was inadvertently displayed on the in-arena scoreboard,” the statement said. “Sharks Sports & Entertainment deeply regrets that this message, which does not meet our organization’s values, was not detected during our standard review process.
“The Sharks organization sincerely apologizes for this oversight, and we are actively working to determine the origin of the message.”
The Sharks on Saturday hosted their 9th annual Los Tiburones game, which, according to the team’s website, is “a celebration of the team’s commitment to the Bay Area’s vibrant Hispanic community.”
Statement from the #SJSharks on this message that appeared on the center-hung scoreboard during the first intermission
“During the first intermission of tonight’s game, an offensively worded message which had been externally submitted was inadvertently displayed on the in-arena… pic.twitter.com/hwSl6jQuIx
— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) October 19, 2025
Responding to multiple fan complaints on social media platform X, Sharks team president Jonathan Becher posted, “Disappointing that this slipped through our internal controls, but even more disappointing that a fan somehow thinks this is acceptable,” and also added, “Definitely NEVER appropriate and completely not consistent with Teal Together.”
The Sharks announced a sellout crowd of 17,435 for the game, which the team lost 3-0 to the Penguins.
While the Sharks remain winless on the season, this isn’t the first time this month the organization has committed an unforced error off the ice.
Earlier this month, the Sharks had to replace a banner inside the arena that listed the incorrect year they won the Presidents’ Trophy as the team with the NHL’s best regular-season record. The banner said the Sharks won the trophy during the 2015-16 season, but they won it in 2008-09.