June 2025: Pride Campaign

The Sharks Foundation once again celebrated their Pride campaign throughout the month of June. A $30,000 Community Assist Grant was provided to San Francisco Earthquakes LGBTQ+ Ice Hockey Club.

The San Francisco Earthquakes are an LGBTQ+ ice hockey team founded to create a safe, welcoming, and empowering space for queer athletes and allies. The Earthquakes bring together players of various skill levels who share a love for the game and a commitment to inclusion on and off the ice.

PRIDE PARADE
Prior to the start of the 2024-25 season, members of Team Teal walked together in Silicon Valley’s annual Pride Parade alongside Sharks forward Tyler Toffoli and his wife Cat, mascot S.J. Sharkie, and the San Francisco Earthquakes LGBTQ+ ice hockey team. Members of Team Teal gathered in downtown San Jose decked out in colorful Pride gear including apparel, flags, and signs. Team Teal is scheduled to participate in the 2025 Pride Parade on August 31.

PRIDE SCRIMMAGE & PRIDE NIGHT
Earlier this year, the San Jose Sharks hosted the third annual Pride Scrimmage at SAP Center. Players from Team Trans, S.F. Earthquakes and Team Teal, formed by members of the Sharks front office, played in a round robin on the ice. Special guests Jonathan Becher, Michael Mulcahy, and S.J. Sharkie joined for
the evening and Sharks alumnus Scott Hannan jumped in to coach the visiting teams. To watch the full recap, visit our website.

The Sharks hosted their official Pride Night game, complete with a Pride beanie giveaway, on January 11. Multiple activations took place, including Pride-themed lighting in the bowl, fans had the opportunity to make Pride bracelets and keychains in various LGBTQ+ pride flag colors, and the National Anthem was performed by the Silicon Valley Gay Men’s Chorus. President of the S.F. Earthquakes Kieran Flaherty dropped the ceremonial puck to start the game which you can watch on Instagram.

COMMUNITY ASSIST GRANT GIVEN TO THE S.F. EARTHQUAKES
Using the grant funds from the Sharks Foundation, the S.F. Earthquakes were able to host a ‘Hockey with Pride’ Scrimmage & Mixer at Oakland Ice Center operated by Sharks Ice. The event enabled the S.F. Earthquakes to get in front of new audiences and recruit members to the team.

Thirty-eight participants attended the event, 34 skaters, and 12 new participants came to play because of the mission of the S.F. Earthquakes. More than 90% of participants identified as LGBTQ+ but most had never played with a LGBTQ+ team or had not played for a long time. The event highlighted the Sharks Foundation’s support of creating inviting, safe, and inclusive communities in the sport of ice hockey.