2024 CFO of the Year: Matt Albrecht 

Executive Vice President and CFO | Pacers Sports & Entertainment

Matt Albrecht is responsible for oversight of all financial activities at Pacers Sports & Entertainment, with a goal to ensure accurate financial reporting for management and ownership while maintaining and improving the organization’s efficiencies, processes and internal controls.

Major accomplishments: Albrecht’s finance team has received the Rising Star award, Defensive Player of the Year award and Best Record award from the NBA over the past several years. But what he’s most proud of is “the level of comfort the NBA league office has with Pacers Sports & Entertainment.” That includes asking questions about best practices and relying on the organization for advice and reflection on how other teams should model their business.

Challenge overcome: Being short-staffed. When it’s fully staffed, Albrecht’s team has eight members, but they were down two full-time staff members for a time. “Collectively, we worked through a tough situation and ultimately came out better than we were before.”

I wish people understood that … “Finance is what you make it to be, so if you make it fun, you will enjoy your job. NBA teams are regulated about as much as, if not more than, a financial institution—meaning multiple audits. Finance does not have an offseason.”

Career path: Albrecht always enjoyed and excelled at math but initially was interested in criminal justice and thought about pursuing a career as a private detective. He switched his major to accounting in the middle of his sophomore year of college. Before joining the Pacers, he spent 11 years as controller for the National Wine & Spirits Corp.

What excites you about your job? The idea of opportunities to mentor and help others, serve in the community or take on new ventures. “The sports and entertainment industry is ever-changing, whether it be in the NBA, WNBA, G-League or other events. A day at PS&E is never the same.”•

Check out more CFO honorees.