1st QUARTER 2014
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to the left. When he noticed that stat, he
saw the way to even out traffic flow would
be to create marketing activations on the
right side, such as appearances by the
BrooklyKnight super hero or the Brookly-
nettes dancers, to create interest there.
Barclays Center’s analytics department
uses various metrics, some of which are
from Ticketmaster’s data, some from the
arena’s point-of-sale system, and the re-
sult has improved traffic flow to the point
that 1,000 more people every 15 minutes
come through security and get to their
seats, Mierswa says. “Financially it’s been
a benefit to the arena, and it’s a benefit to
the fan,” he adds.
Shows are similar to basketball games
in many ways that have to do with stats
and analytics, but as far as accounting
goes, a show is a one-time event. “We do
over 200 shows a year,” says Mierswa, “all
like collapsible corporations.” Whether
it’s a Jay-Z or Andrea Bocelli concert or
Cirque du Soleil’s “Quidam,” using J.D.
Edwards accounting software, Mierswa
has been able to get the processes right for
robust financial reporting and analysis.
“The triumph was that we were able to
hit our target events number of over 200,
and were ranked number one in the U.S.
in overall ticket sales and revenue among
all arenas,” he says, citing Pollstar’s and
Billboard’s 2013 midyear listings.
What Makes Him Tick
Now a New Jersey resident, Mierswa
lived in Brooklyn before it was a hipster
hangout. His bio includes an education
at Hamilton College, in Clinton, NY, and
NYU; employment at Ernst & Young,
then Sony Music, EMI Music, and Live
Nation. He has a CD collection that’s
larger than he ever dreamed of and huge
pride in his family (his wife and their
daughter are, respectively, a published
author and an Oxford University Press
staff member; their son is at Rensselaer
majoring in astrophysics).
In business, Mierswa gets his satisfaction
from anticipating the needs of his owner-
ship, and responding to entrepreneurial
thinking. “I try to train my team to ask the
questions that haven’t been asked,” he says.
A typical day holds multiple meetings
and spending approvals, but beyond that,
decisions on ticket requests to support
good causes. Ratner has always been a
supporter of Brooklyn, and his manage-
ment team sees community relations as a
significant aspect of Barclays Center’s mis-
sion. All agree it’s important to give back
to the community.
In his CFO capacity, Mierswa oversees
the box office, IT, and the finance group.
(His role on the business operations side
means he also supervises compliance with
the NBA.) He is watching ticket sales,
he says, “up to and including the day of,
to get to our ultimate goal of a sellout.”
He and about five others in his group
will also be evaluating what’s happening
on the secondary ticket markets, such as
StubHub. “We try to be responsive,” he
says. “Sometimes their pricing is much
higher than ours and sometimes theirs is
much lower.”
Then, on a game day, he’ll walk down
to the arena about two hours before the
game and check with the staff in the box
office. He’ll see the team doctors, high-
five the squad leaders at the dance teams’
rehearsal, but generally stay away from
players who are in “the zone.” Close to
game time he’ll begin his rounds to greet
important fans, taking them T-shirts or
hats if they’ve brought their kids. “I’ll
have a list of VIPs or bankers who may be
attending,” he says.
Once the schmoozing is done and the
game’s under way, he’ll grab a seat wher-
ever he can find one in the stands and
watch the team he’s followed avidly since
seventh grade. Who says this isn’t the best
job in finance?
C
It’s All About the
Experience
W
hen fans attend a Justin Timberlake or
Beyoncé concert, or a Nets game, they
have high expectations, not just from the
performers or athletes, but from everything
that transpires in the new arena, a centerpiece
for revitalized Brooklyn. Recognizing this, pre-
opening, management brought in the Disney
Institute to provide training as an investment in
the venue’s future.
“We found the employees in Brooklyn and
trained them on how to operate at Barclays
Center,” says Charlie Mierswa.
Attendance surveys validate the wisdom of the
investment. When you walk into the arena, you
are welcomed “as if you’re in your own living
room,” he says.
There’s a financial return on those good vibes.
When the survey comments are shared with
the staff, “it makes the worker pool happy,
which has given us a high retention rate… I
can share the feedback with my CEO and that
makes them even more proud.”
Mierswa calls the surveys remarkable tools for
making sure Barclays Center stays on mission,
which is to engender Brooklyn pride and to
provide a great guest experience.
