Backstage at San Jose Sharks with President of the Team | 3.3.26
The Harvard Business School Association of Northern California, Harvard, Kellogg, Wharton, MIT, Cornell NorCal Alumni Association, Princeton and Oxford are pleased to offer an opportunity to cheer on their local Ice Hockey team - the San Jose Sharks.
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2026
5:15 pm-5:45 pm: Networking
5:45 pm-6:45 pm: Reception and talk by Jonathan Becher, President of Sharks Sports & Entertainment
6:45 pm: Buffet-style dinner will be provided in the Penthouse Plaza. Two drink tickets will be provided to each guest to redeem at the Plaza Bar.
7:00 pm: Puck Drop against the Montreal Canadiens
Post-game: Group Picture on the Ice
**All ticket sales are final and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. No refunds and no assigned seats.
**Registration ends February 27th 2026 at 5pm PST or when sells out. Often this event sells out 2+ weeks in advance.
**Questions: Sean Jacobsohn (sjacobsohn@gmail.com) Tickets will be issued 1-2 days prior to the event date through email.
Location:
SAP Center at San Jose
525 W Santa Clara St
San Jose, CA 95113, USA
Ticket Prices:
$150 for HCSF members (limit 4)
$175 for HCSF Non-Members (limit 4)
$200 for General Public
Click Here To Register
Event Registration (Harvard Alumni):
Please sign in with your HarvardKey otherwise a duplicate record will be created and you will not be able to log-in.
No HarvardKey? Please retrieve your HarvardKey here. If you need help, email ithelp@harvard.edu or call 617-495-7777
HCSF Guidelines for attending in-person events
If you are showing COVID-19 or Flu symptoms, please stay home. This is critical to the health and safety of our staff and communities.
More Details on the Event:
Jonathan Becher, President of Sharks Sports & Entertainment, will join us to talk about the intersection of technology, business, and hockey. He’ll host a vibrant Q&A session with our group.
About Jonathan Becher
Jonathan Becher is president of Sharks Sports & Entertainment, the parent organization for the San Jose Sharks (NHL), the San Jose Barracuda (AHL), three Sharks Ice recreational facilities, and the non-profit Sharks Foundation. A long-time Sharks fan and season ticket holder, Becher is responsible for the organization’s overall strategy with a particular focus on the end-to-end experience. He serves as the organization’s Alternative Governor for the NHL Board of Governors.
Behind Hasso’s leadership and direction, Becher has been instrumental in fostering relationships within the Bay Area community, while also solidifying a positive relationship with the City of San Jose and the people who call San Jose home. On Aug. 26, 2025, after multiple years of negotiations led by Becher, the San Jose City Council unanimously voted to extend the Sharks lease agreement through the 2050-51 season, further entrenching the Sharks brand and identity in San Jose. This new agreement includes City and Sharks financing for several, large-scale updates and renovations to SAP Center, helping ensure the city-owned arena remains a modern, world-class sports and entertainment venue.
Prior to joining Sharks Sports & Entertainment, Becher spent a decade at SAP in a variety of senior executive roles, including Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Digital Officer. While at SAP, he created the Digital Commerce business unit, which allows anyone to buy and use SAP third-party offerings without human intervention, and the Center for Digital Leadership, which empowers C- level executives and their organizations to be successful digital leaders. He also oversaw many large-scale sports and entertainment partnerships, including the National Basketball Association (NBA), the San Francisco 49ers, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), and the naming rights agreement for the SAP Center at San José.
Prior to SAP, Becher was a three-time software company CEO, focused on analytics and machine learning technology. Becher continues to be an advisor to early-stage companies and is on the Board of Directors of multiple organizations, including Trintech, Catch & Release, and the Bay Area Host Committee. He is the co-chair of NHL Fan Inclusion Council and a member of the Knight San Jose Community Advisory Council.
Becher is a frequent speaker at events and a published author on a variety of topics – including his own popular blog, Manage By Walking Around (http://jonathanbecher.com). He holds a master’s degree in computer science from Duke University in North Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the University of Virginia.
About Our Sports Events:
From the organizer, Sean Jacobsohn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanjacobsohn)
For the past several years we have hosted exclusive events with the Kings, Warriors, Giants, Earthquakes, A's, Sharks, and 49ers. I am a venture capitalist at Norwest Venture Partners focusing on business software, but started my career in the sports industry. While at HBS, I worked for the NFL and Major League Baseball and then also began organizing events for both sports beginners and old sports fans. It was during this time that I realized the power of the sports industry from a business standpoint, but from a social perspective as well. My events have included dyed-in-the wool sports fans, but also those who are interested in visionary leadership, crowd-watching or simply spending time with a dynamic group of people and making lasting friendships here in the Bay Area. Today, we host about six events each year. Our group of HBS alumni and their friends and family from across the world, have made a positive impression on the teams. Each season, we are welcomed back and get to enjoy a collegial friendship that would not be available to us otherwise. Many consider our group a highlight of the being an HBS alumnus here in the Bay Area. If you haven't attended our events in the past, we hope you do this sometime soon. Feel free to email me at sjacobsohn@gmail.com and I'll add you to our email list to give you early access to sign-up for upcoming sports events prior to promotion.
Quotes from past attendees:
"These are my favorite HBS alumni events. Meeting sports team execs is like an active HBS case study, and I get to have a great time with alumni in a casual setting. For example, I learned the true story about the Oakland A's effort to build a new stadium. Then, there was witnessing Warriors as they were building a championship team and business machine. It's fun doing this while bringing a family member, friend or business contact." (Rajiv Parikh)
"A truly memorable experience for several reasons - not only was I able to connect with HBS alumni from several decades at a networking event that felt like anything but that - it also gave me an opportunity to bring friends who share my love of sports and business." (Dileepan Siva)
"Sports-related events organized by HBSANC are unique, can't miss experiences which bring you up close and personal with the executives who run local sports franchises and provide the full luxury box treatment." (Dan Rosen)
"We had a wonderful time at the HBS event at the Giants game at Oracle park. It was great to catch up with HBS friends, make some new ones, and get some "behind the scenes scoop" from the Giants' GM and management team. All around, it was a great evening." (Chris Bates)
"I find the quality of the HBS sports events to be top notch. They are always well-run, valuable and fun. It is great to have the networking and the insider perspective from a speaker while watching one of our beloved Bay Area teams play." (Steffan Haithcox)
"The HBSNC Sports Events prove why the HBS MBA is so valuable. They offer an incredible opportunity that isn't available elsewhere to hear directly from the management of the teams. The HBSNC Sports Events are a highlight of my year. Attendees receive unparalleled access to the management of the teams while also getting to catch up with lifelong friends." (Eric Newhouse)