About

Improving Civic Pride through Sports

The San Jose Sports Authority is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to increase the City of San Jose’s economic development, visibility and civic pride through sports. Serving as the City’s sports commission since its inception in 1991, the Sports Authority has provided leadership and support to attract or host hundreds of sporting events in San Jose and the South Bay. The Sports Authority also supports and operates community, youth and amateur sports programs, including the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame, and the REACH Youth Scholarship Program.

The Sports Authority staff is led by Executive Director John Poch and boasts a diverse board of community leaders who have been doing meaningful, successful and nationally recognized work on behalf of the City of San Jose for more than 20 years. Chaired by former San Jose Sharks CFO Charlie Faas, and comprised of some of the most influential business, community and sports industry leaders in the Bay Area, the Sports Authority carries out a broad mission, with equal parts economic development, marketing, promotion, implementation, event management, and community development.

The Sports Authority has a long and proud history of attracting and hosting sports here in the Capital of Silicon Valley, and as a result San Jose has established itself as a premier destination for some of the most prestigious amateur and professional sports events.

These include the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Team Trials, U.S. Figure Skating Championships, National Hockey League All-Star Game, NCAA Men’s Basketball Championships, USA Fencing Summer Nationals, Amgen Tour of California, as well as sold-out international events such as USA vs. Ireland Rugby, USA vs. China FIVB World League Volleyball, and Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships.

Our Mission

To establish San Jose as a premier center for sports on the West Coast; to improve the quality of life in Greater San Jose by increasing the City’s economic development, visibility and civic pride through sports.

We will accomplish this mission in three ways: by bringing major sports events to the community; by creating new and permanent sports events for the community and by supporting existing organizations in the community-all with a special emphasis on youth programs and events.