SAP Center
SAP Center, known as “The Shark Tank”, in San Jose, California is home to the San Jose Sharks (NHL, Pacific Division) and the PWHL San Jose (PWHL, women’s pro). It opened in 1993, making it 33 years old in 2026 and seats 17,435 for hockey. That makes it the 24th-largest rink in NHL.
Rink facts
- Location
- San Jose, California
- Home of
- San Jose Sharks
PWHL San Jose - League
- NHL · Pacific Division
PWHL · Western Conference - Opened
- 1993
- Capacity
- 17,435
- Nickname
- The Shark Tank
- Former names
- San Jose Arena (1993–2001)
Compaq Center (2001–2002)
HP Pavilion (2002–2013) - Also home to
- PWHL San Jose (PWHL)
- Size rank in NHL
- 24th of 32
Famous moments at SAP Center
- 1997 NHL All-Star Game (1997)
- UFC 139 (2011)
- 2016 Stanley Cup Final Games 3, 4 and 6 (2016)
- 2019 NHL All-Star Game
- U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the first of several held here (1996)
- NCAA Women's Final Four (1999)
- WWE Royal Rumble (1998)
Game night
Getting there. San Jose Diridon station; San Fernando station
Seating & views at SAP Center
Hockey capacity is 17,435, down from 17,562 after a 2023 project that turned seven suites and three rows of seats into a 10,000-square-foot penthouse lounge. A center-hung Daktronics video board with four LED displays about 23 feet high by 41 feet wide debuted in 2022.
Parking & tailgating
There are more than 3,000 parking spaces within a third of a mile, including about 1,500 in the on-site lot next to the arena, entered from Santa Clara Street or Julian Street. San Jose Diridon Station, served by Caltrain, ACE, Capitol Corridor, VTA buses and VTA light rail, is across the street.
Sources: Wikipedia, sapcenter.com
Plan your trip to SAP Center
Rinks near SAP Center10
- 1AHLTech CU Arena — San Jose Barracuda same city
- 2SPHL/FPHLAdventist Health Arena — Stockton Thunder 55 mi
- 3SPHL/FPHLSelland Arena — Fresno Falcons 127 mi
- 4ECHLTahoe Blue Event Center — Tahoe Knight Monsters 156 mi
- 5AHLDignity Health Arena — Bakersfield Condors 212 mi
- 6NHLCrypto.com Arena — Los Angeles Kings 304 mi
- 7AHLToyota Arena — Ontario Reign 328 mi
- 8NHLHonda Center — Anaheim Ducks 329 mi
- 9NHLT-Mobile Arena — Vegas Golden Knights 379 mi
- 10SPHL/FPHLFrontwave Arena — Oceanside Shock 382 mi
Questions about SAP Center
Where do the San Jose Sharks play home games?
The San Jose Sharks play at SAP Center in San Jose, California.
Where do the PWHL San Jose play home games?
The PWHL San Jose play at SAP Center in San Jose, California.
How many people does SAP Center hold?
SAP Center seats 17,435 for hockey.
When did SAP Center open?
SAP Center opened in 1993.
What is SAP Center’s nickname?
SAP Center is known as “The Shark Tank.”
What other rinks are near SAP Center?
Tech CU Arena is also in San Jose. See the full list of nearby rinks on this page.
Where do you park at SAP Center?
There are more than 3,000 parking spaces within a third of a mile, including about 1,500 in the on-site lot next to the arena, entered from Santa Clara Street or Julian Street. San Jose Diridon Station, served by Caltrain, ACE, Capitol Corridor, VTA buses and VTA light rail, is across the street.
What is the seating like at SAP Center?
Hockey capacity is 17,435, down from 17,562 after a 2023 project that turned seven suites and three rows of seats into a 10,000-square-foot penthouse lounge. A center-hung Daktronics video board with four LED displays about 23 feet high by 41 feet wide debuted in 2022.
Facts are for the 2026–27 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. Capacity figures vary by source. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your rink? Get the “Listed on RinkGuide.com” badge for your website.