Fan satisfaction was evaluated across seven factors (in order of importance): seating area and game experience; security and ushers; leaving the game; arriving at the game; food and beverage; ticket purchase; and souvenirs and merchandise. Satisfaction is measured on a 1,000-point scale. Additional factors that are measured but not included in the official ranking are loyalty and future intentions; team performance (on-field); and team image.
"On behalf of our entire organization, we thank JD Power & Associates for recognizing the San Jose Sharks as the top Bay Area Sports Franchise for overall fan experience." said John Tortora, Chief Operating Officer of the San Jose Sharks. "More importantly, we thank our loyal and passionate fans in Sharks Territory for recognizing our efforts in improving and maintaining our fan experience. Your voice matters. We also thank our ownership group, led by Dr. Hasso Plattner, for continually providing the Sharks with the resources and support to achieve this level of customer service and we thank our hockey players and staff, our full-time and game-day employees in prioritizing customer service on a daily basis. As we embark on the 2017-18 season, we look forward to continuing to serve our fans at the highest levels and to make attending a Sharks game at SAP Center as inviting, entertaining, safe, and seamless as it has ever been."
In last year's inaugural study, only teams in the nation's four largest markets-New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston-were evaluated. This year, Bay Area, Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Philadelphia, South Florida and Washington, D.C. have been added, while Los Angeles has been expanded to include all of Southern California.
"We know franchises and clubs with winning records generally do not have problems filling seats, but this study is about finding out which teams are giving their fans the best experience for their dollar," said Greg Truex, Senior Director, Sports Research at J.D. Power. "Whether a team is a perennial champion, a contender or is accumulating draft picks to build for the future, they all need to find ways to get people through the turnstiles. The teams at the top of their markets understand what it takes to keep fans coming back for more, as well as recommending the experience to friends and family, regardless of the standings. JD Power is the "Gold Standard" in measuring the "Voice of the Consumer."
