Darolyn Pierce has become a central figure in how Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment uses data to shape ticketing, marketing and operations.
From a CRM Coordinator to Data Leader
A senior sports business major at Baylor, Pierce joined a spring‑break tour of New York that included visits to the NFL, MLB, NBA, MSG, the Yankees and the Giants. Listening to executives sparked “the data light bulb,” she recalled.
She applied for a CRM coordinator role at MSG despite a heavy allergy season and the city’s overwhelming crowds. The position let her work on data and systems building, a task she described as “natural” at the time.
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At the time she had never written a line of code. MSG was expanding its tech stack for sales enablement, and Pierce taught herself coding through Google and YouTube, then asked her managers for guidance.
Her first major automation replaced a manual lead‑generation process, giving the sales team faster access to prospects. “There was this sense of autonomy and there was a sense of responsibility that felt rewarding because I could enable and empower my team,” she said.
Senior executives took notice. John Abbamondi, then MSG’s EVP of ticketing, suites and hospitality, observed her late‑night work ethic and praised her proactive attitude, noting that “grinders win” in the business.
Promotions followed, including a move to Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment and an elevation to vice president of data analytics and insights, as well as an honor earlier this year as Next in Sports Tech: Rising Woman of the Year, presented by Next League, at the Sports Business Awards: Tech.
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She describes the experience as “rolling up my sleeves,” a habit that keeps her connected to the technical details of the projects she champions.
Her contributions earned her the “Next in Sports Tech: Rising Woman of the Year” award from Next League at the Sports Business Awards: Tech earlier this year, highlighting her impact on the industry.
Outside of work, Pierce travels frequently, favoring destinations like Thailand and Lisbon. She has completed six half‑marathons and a full marathon in Berlin, a personal milestone she says will likely remain her last.