The team at Burwood Media knows how to throw a party. This weekend alone, they’ll host nearly 40 themed dance nights across the globe. From their iconic Emo Night Brooklyn (celebrating almost a decade of emo anthems) to the buzz-worthy Broadway Rave (recently spotlighted in The New York Times), Burwood Media has built an impressive portfolio of events that blend nostalgia, creativity, and data-driven strategy.

We sat down with Will Wytias-Sobel, Marketing Director at Burwood Media, to learn how they leverage data to scale their operation and keep the party going.

---

From Emo Nights to Broadway Raves: The Burwood Strategy

Founded as a passion project by childhood friends Ethan Maccoby and Alex Badanes, Burwood Media has grown from a single recurring DJ set to a powerhouse of themed parties. Their events—like Gimme Gimme Disco, Emo Night Brooklyn, Party Iconic – Taylor’s Version, and Broadway Rave—capture the hearts of audiences worldwide.

This success didn’t happen by chance. Will explains that Burwood’s ability to scale and innovate comes down to combining creative instincts with actionable data insights.

---

Picking the Right Venues

With events spanning the globe, venue selection is crucial. Will credits the interplay between their booking and marketing teams:

Sometimes we lock in a deal with a handshake, but mostly, we need hard numbers—past sales data, estimated audience size, and brand momentum.

This balance of relationships and metrics ensures Burwood can meet the demand while maintaining their signature vibe.

---

Tracking Ticket Sales in Real Time

Managing 200-250 events on sale at once is no small feat. In the past, tracking ticket sales manually was impossible. Now, tools like RealCount have revolutionized their workflow:

With automatic reporting every day, we see if a choice or change we implement in a campaign yields ticket sales. An ad campaign can give you all the right signals, but if it’s not converting, we know right away and adjust. If a campaign is yielding sales, we add more spend and watch it grow. If the structure works in multiple markets, we scale it to as many shows as makes sense.

This real-time visibility lets the team monitor daily what’s working—and what isn’t—across their portfolio of events.

---

Testing New Themes: Creativity Meets Data

Launching a new party theme is both art and science. Burwood relies on data to decide if a concept works at a national or international scale:

We look at our average percentage sold across markets. Real-time sales data helps us decide faster if a show should be market-specific or has broader appeal.

---

Spotting Trends: Early Sales vs. Last-Minute Buyers

In the live event industry, ticket sales often spike closer to event day. Will notes this trend is true for some of their brands, but others show strong early sales:

Folks in the industry keep saying that sales are happening closer and closer to event day, in some cases 75% sold within 48 hours. While that is true for some of our brands, others have a bulk of their sales out of the gate and we know if that party doesn’t sell well during the first week we are facing an uphill battle.

With RealCount, Burwood Media gains more than just real-time visibility into sales; they’re equipped to analyze trends by market and date, regardless of the ticketing platform. Each artist or touring property is identified by their audience’s unique buying behaviors, allowing Burwood to spot late-buying markets, pinpoint underperforming events early, and tailor strategies to optimize performance.

---

Social Media + Sales Data: A Chaotic but Effective Balance

Social media drives massive traffic to Burwood’s website, where most ticket sales happen. Although attribution can be tricky, their strategy blends website traffic data with real-time sales tracking:

Website traffic is the single greatest indicator of ticket sales. A spike in May leads to sales in June. RealCount helps us see those sales in real time. It’s a harmonious, if chaotic, ecosystem.

---

Why Data Matters

Burwood Media’s ability to manage a high volume of shows with a small team comes down to their strategic use of data. From testing party themes to scaling campaigns, they’ve mastered the art of decision-making at scale.

Their events are more than just a good time—they’re a testament to what’s possible when creativity and data work hand-in-hand. So next time you hit up one of their themed nights, know there’s a science behind the magic.

---

Want to Learn More?

Interested in seeing how you can streamline tracking ticket sales for your events across multiple ticket platforms? Reach out to RealCount at info@realcount.pro. Follow along with Burwood Media’s journey on their website or check out their events like Broadway Rave and Gimme Gimme Disco at a venue near you!