The Sharks hold a 2-1 series lead over the Blues in the Western Conference Finals, but the team remains "concerned about retaining and attracting fans in the competitive Bay Area sports market," according to David Pollak of the N.Y. TIMES. This season marks the Sharks' 25th anniversary, and attendance "remains respectable, but sellouts, once routine, are no longer automatic." San Jose "had no major pro sports teams" prior to the Sharks' arrival in '91, and their "early success created a strong bond" between the team and the city. However, the overall sports landscape "has shifted." The 49ers "moved to neighboring Santa Clara" and the Earthquakes built a stadium two miles from SAP Center. Meanwhile, the Warriors -- the Sharks' "most direct wintertime competition for fan attention" -- have "become the darlings of sports fans everywhere after a history-making NBA season." The Sharks' "response so far includes a nightly $10 food coupon per seat for those who renewed their season tickets earlier than usual." Playoff seats for season-ticket holders "were priced even further below those on sale to the general public," and "more video replays are being shown inside the SAP Center." Pollak noted attendance has "been dropping the past two seasons" after the Sharks lost a '14 playoff series to the Kings "despite winning the first three games." A 205-game sellout streak "ended Oct. 25, 2014, and only 13 of 41 home games this season had an attendance listed at the 17,562-seat capacity." Sharks COO John Tortora said that renewal rates, which were normally around 92%, slid to 85% last summer, and "a season-ticket base of 14,000 is now less than 12,000." Tortora said that the Sharks "to turn things around" added $3M to its sales and marketing payroll (N.Y. TIMES, 5/19).
