SAN JOSE \u2013 On a night meant to celebrate their commitment to the Bay Area\u2019s Hispanic community, the San Jose Sharks inadvertently displayed what appeared to be a message supportive of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement\u2019s deportation efforts on SAP Center\u2019s center-hung scoreboard during the team\u2019s game Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.<\/p>\n
During the game\u2019s first intermission, the scoreboard displayed a message that read, \u201cSJ SHARKS FANS\/LOVE ICE !!\/GET \u2018EM BOYZ !\u201d<\/p>\n
Personalized messages sent in by fans to be displayed during games are typically supportive of the team or meant to wish someone a happy birthday or anniversary.<\/p>\n
The Sharks later issued a statement apologizing<\/a> for the message, which was shared widely on social media.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring the first intermission of tonight\u2019s game, an offensively worded message which had been externally submitted was inadvertently displayed on the in-arena scoreboard,\u201d the statement said. \u201cSharks Sports & Entertainment deeply regrets that this message, which does not meet our organization\u2019s values, was not detected during our standard review process.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Sharks organization sincerely apologizes for this oversight, and we are actively working to determine the origin of the message.\u201d<\/p>\n The Sharks on Saturday hosted their ninth annual Los Tiburones game, which, according to the team\u2019s website, is \u201ca celebration of the team\u2019s commitment to the Bay Area\u2019s vibrant Hispanic community.\u201d<\/p>\n Statement from the #SJSharks<\/a> on this message that appeared on the center-hung scoreboard during the first intermission<\/p>\n “During the first intermission of tonight\u2019s game, an offensively worded message which had been externally submitted was inadvertently displayed on the in-arena\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/hwSl6jQuIx<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) October 19, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Responding to multiple fan complaints on social media platform X, Sharks team president Jonathan Becher posted, \u201cDisappointing that this slipped through our internal controls, but even more disappointing that a fan somehow thinks this is acceptable,\u201d and also added, \u201cDefinitely NEVER appropriate and completely not consistent with (team slogan) Teal Together.\u201d<\/p>\n The Sharks announced a sellout crowd of 17,435 for the game, which the team lost 3-0 to the Penguins.<\/p>\n While the Sharks remain winless on the season, this isn\u2019t the first time the organization has committed an unforced error off the ice.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, the Sharks had to replace a banner inside the arena that listed the incorrect year<\/a> they won the Presidents\u2019 Trophy as the team with the NHL\u2019s best regular-season record. The banner said the Sharks won the trophy during the 2015-16 season, but they won it in 2008-09.<\/p>\n In April 2022, a crude message<\/a> disparaging the Vegas Golden Knights submitted by a fan was accidentally displayed on SAP Center\u2019s former center-hung scoreboard during the second intermission of a game against the Anaheim Ducks.<\/p>\n The first letter of each of the 14 words put together formed a vulgar acronym that denigrated one of the Sharks\u2019 fiercest rivals. The message read, \u201cFans Unite! Celebrate! Keep The Hockey Energy Kicking! Now Imbibe Generously, Honor The Sharks!\u201d<\/p>\n A Sharks spokesman said at the time<\/a> that, \u201cthe seemingly hidden nature of the message was not identified prior to being shown at the game.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t