Elizabeth Brooks
Ticket Operations Manager, Charlotte Hornets / Hornets Sports & Entertainment
It was grabbing an available internship during college that set Elizabeth Brooks on her career path in ticketing.
“For most people, ticket operations isn’t something you set out to do,” Brooks said. “You end up in and around it and then decide that it is pretty cool.”
Her summer internship working in the NHL Florida Panthers’ box office, although short and during the offseason, had a big impact on her trajectory.
“I knew ticket sales weren’t for me, as I don’t have what it takes to be a sales person,” Brooks admitted. “So, I was happy to find a career where I can support that staff from behind the scenes.”
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After graduating from the University of North Carolina, where she received a pair of bachelor’s degrees in exercise and sports science and American history, Brooks spent several seasons as ticket operations coordinator for the Gwinnett Stripers, the triple-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves, and served as a ticket sales representative for Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2017.
Brooks joined the Charlotte Hornets as ticket coordinator four years ago and, two years later, was promoted to ticket operations manager. In this capacity, she is responsible for managing ticket inventory, processing sales, training ticket sales representatives and providing monthly commission payout reports as well as overseeing ticket resolution and troubleshooting on game days.
Brooks also runs commissions for the team’s NBA G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm.
During the pandemic, Brooks was instrumental in helping her department navigate many complexities, including issuing customer refunds, transferring funds to future seasons, reporting on potential revenue impacts of various scenarios, implementing socially distanced manifests and transitioning to 100% mobile ticketing.
“It has been a crazy four years,” she said. “This is the first season we’re not impacted by random circumstances, so I’m excited for this to be the first ‘normal’ season.”
Brooks takes pride in the nuts and bolts of ticketing operations.
“Something I try to do is to be as much of a support system for our sales, service and partnership teams as possible,” she said. “I like to be someone they can come to with questions on things like inventory and pricing to make their job easier.”
Brooks recalled that transitioning from being a trainee in Gwinnett gave her the opportunity to run the rest of the season.
“It was scary but a great opportunity to build the season and manage seats and accounts,” Brooks said. “I took that experience to my current position, which is on a larger scale.”
Her favorite part of the job is working with the reporting technology and in the ticketing system.
“Everyone has a passion for working in the industry, and alleviating issues in game day situations is something I enjoy,” Brooks said.
When she’s not on the job, Brooks enjoys biking and traveling.
“Summer is a good time to get away,” she said. “I vacationed in Seattle last summer, and that was a highlight. I look forward to returning.”
