The San Jose Sharks were forced into damage control Saturday after a scoreboard message appeared to praise U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement—during a night meant to celebrate Hispanic heritage.
The message, displayed during the first intermission of the Sharks’ game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at SAP Center, read: “SJ SHARKS FANS LOVE ICE!! GET ‘EM BOYZ!”
The post immediately drew outrage from fans, who pointed out the timing: the team’s ninth annual “Los Tiburones Night,” held to honor the Bay Area’s Hispanic community.
Hours later, the team issued an apology on X, saying an “offensively worded message which had been externally submitted was inadvertently displayed on the in-arena scoreboard.”
“Sharks Sports & Entertainment deeply regrets that this message, which does not meet our organization’s values, was not detected during our standard review process,” the statement read. “The Sharks organization sincerely apologizes for this oversight, and we are actively working to determine the origin of the message.”
The team did not specify who had submitted the message or how it cleared review before being broadcast to thousands of spectators.
The gaffe came amid heightened tensions over immigration policy and stepped-up enforcement across major U.S. cities. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump ordered ICE and National Guard troops to patrol urban centers including Los Angeles, triggering protests in California and other states.
The Sharks went on to lose 3–0 to the Penguins. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
The incident capped off what should have been a routine night of hockey. The Sharks went on to lose 3–0 to the Penguins, extending a rough season that has left the team languishing near the bottom of the NHL standings.
For fans who came to celebrate “Los Tiburones Night,” the scoreboard stunt soured the evening’s message. Lifelong fan Jessica Clark said she was “appalled” by the message.
“They’re my favorite team—I even have tattoos—but this was something that should’ve been caught,” she told CNN.