Sharks Are Changing Their Home Helmet Look This Season

The San Jose Sharks unveil a groundbreaking sponsorship with fintech company Aven, introducing an innovative helmet logo for their home games this season.

The Sharks are putting a new corporate mark on their home helmets this season, and the switch comes with a long-term deal in the Bay Area.

San Jose announced Monday that it has agreed to a multi-year partnership with Aven, a Silicon Valley-based fintech company. Beginning with the Sharks’ season opener on Oct. 1 against the Florida Panthers, Aven’s logo will appear on players’ helmets for home games.

The team said Aven will serve as its official home equity credit card partner through the 2028-29 season.

That means the Sharks’ home helmets are changing from the team logo to the Aven logo. The road helmets are staying the same, with SAP’s logo still in place. SAP, the business software giant co-founded by team owner Hasso Plattner, remains on the helmets the Sharks wear away from home.

The deal goes beyond the ice, too. According to the team, the partnership will show up around SAP Center, at Sharks Ice at San Jose, across digital and broadcast platforms, and in Sharks Foundation community efforts.

“The Sharks and Aven both call the Bay Area home, and that shared hometown pride is the foundation of this partnership,” said Jonathan Becher, president of Sharks Sports & Entertainment, in a statement. “This partnership embraces the innovative spirit that defines Silicon Valley by amplifying the best of each of organization while investing in our customers and community.”

“The Sharks are our home team, and their fans are our neighbors: homeowners in a community that has given us our start,” said Sadi Khan, co-founder and CEO of Aven, in a statement. “We built Aven in Silicon Valley, and we’re proud to support the team and the community we call home at the start of an exciting era for the franchise.”

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