Sphere Entertainment Co.
For the period ended Jun 30, 2025. Filed Aug 11, 2025.
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Jun 30, 2025 · Filed Aug 11, 2025
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Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)
All amounts included in the following notes to condensed consolidated financial statements (unaudited) are presented in USD and in thousands, except per share data or as otherwise noted.0
Note 1. Description of Business and Basis of Presentation
Description of Business
Sphere Entertainment Co. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company” or “Sphere Entertainment”) is a premier live entertainment and media company comprised oftwo reportable segments, Sphere and MSG Networks. Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium, and MSG Networks operatestwo regional sports and entertainment networks, as well as a direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) and authenticated streaming product.
Sphere: This segment reflects Sphere TM, a next-generation entertainment medium powered by cutting-edge technologies to create multi-sensory experiences at an unparalleled scale. The Company’s first Sphere opened in Las Vegas in September 2023. The venue can accommodate up to 20,000 guests and can host a wide variety of events year-round, including The Sphere Experience TM, which features original immersive productions, as well as concerts and residencies from renowned artists, and marquee sports and corporate events. Production efforts are supported by Sphere Studios TM, an immersive content studio dedicated to creating multi-sensory entertainment experiences exclusively for Sphere. Sphere Studios is home to a team of creative, production, technology and software experts who provide full in-house creative and production services. The studio campus in Burbank includes a 68,000-square-foot development facility, as well as Big Dome, a 28,000-square-foot,100-foot high custom dome, with a quarter-sized version of the interior display plane at Sphere in Las Vegas, that serves as a specialized screening, production facility, and lab for content at Sphere. The entire exterior surface of Sphere, referred to as the Exosphere TM, is covered with nearly 580,000 square feet of fully programmable LED paneling, creating the largest LED screen in the world — and an impactful display for artists, brands and partners. In October 2024, the Company and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (“DCT Abu Dhabi”) announced plans to work together to bring the world’s second Sphere to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
MSG Networks: This segment is comprised of the Company’s regional sports and entertainment networks, MSG Network and MSG Sportsnet, as well as its DTC and authenticated streaming offering, MSG+ (which is included in the Gotham Sports streaming product). MSG Networks serves the New York designated market area, as well as other portions of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania and features a wide range of sports content, including exclusive live local games and other programming of the New York Knicks (the “Knicks”) of the National Basketball Association (the “NBA”) and the New York Rangers (the “Rangers”), New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League (the “NHL”), as well as significant coverage of the New York Giants and the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League.
The Company was originally organized under the laws of the State of Delaware and, on June 4, 2025, redomesticated to the State of Nevada by conversion. The Company conducts substantially all of its business activities presented in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements through Sphere Entertainment Group, LLC (“Sphere Entertainment Group”) and MSG Networks Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, “MSG Networks”), and each of their direct and indirect subsidiaries.
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions of Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In connection with its fiscal year-end change from June 30 to December 31, the Company filed audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto with the SEC on March 3, 2025, on a Transition Report on Form 10-KT for the transition period ended December 31, 2024 (the “Form 10-KT”). The condensed consolidated financial statements herein should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto (the “Audited Consolidated Financial Statements”) included in the Form 10-KT.
In the opinion of the Company, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, consisting of only normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position as of June 30, 2025 and its results of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, and cash flows for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2024, and the accompanying notes were derived from the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements, but do not contain all of the footnote disclosures from the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements.
The results of operations for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that might be expected for future interim periods or for the full year. For example, our MSG Networks segment earns a higher share of its annual revenues in the first and fourth quarters as aresult of MSG Networks’ advertising revenue being largely derived from the sale of inventory in its live NBA and NHL professional sports programming.
Reclassifications
For purposes of comparability, certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation in accordance with GAAP.
Note 2. Accounting Policies
Principles of Consolidation
The condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of Sphere Entertainment Co. and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions about future events. These estimates and the underlying assumptions affect the amounts of assets and liabilities reported, disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities, and reported amounts of revenues and expenses. Such estimates include the provision for credit losses, valuation of investments, goodwill, intangible assets, deferred production content costs, other long-lived assets, deferred tax assets, pension and other postretirement benefit obligations and the related net periodic benefit cost, ultimate revenue (as described below), and other liabilities. In addition, estimates are used in revenue recognition, rights fees expense, performance and share-based compensation, depreciation and amortization, litigation matters and other matters. Management believes its use of estimates in the condensed consolidated financial statements to be reasonable.
Management evaluates its estimates on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the general economic environment and actions it may take in the future. The Company adjusts such estimates when facts and circumstances dictate. However, these estimates may involve significant uncertainties and judgments and cannot be determined with precision. In addition, these estimates are based on management’s best judgment at a point in time and, as such, these estimates may ultimately differ from actual results. Changes in estimates resulting from weakness in the economic environment or other factors beyond the Company’s control could be material and would be reflected in the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements in future periods.
Recently Issued and Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
In November 2024, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2024-03, Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, requiring additional disclosures about specified categories of expenses included in certain expense captions presented on the face of the income statement. This standard will be effective for the Company as of and for the annual period ending December 31, 2027, and may be applied either prospectively to financial statements issued for reporting periods after the effective date of this ASU or retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-04, Induced Conversions of Convertible Debt Instruments, providing clarification on the requirements for determining whether certain settlements of convertible debt should be accounted for as induced conversions. This ASU will be effective for the Company as of and for the annual period ending December 31, 2026, and may be applied either prospectively to financial statements issued for reporting periods after the effective date of this ASU or retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In July 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-05, Measurement of Credit Losses for Accounts Receivable and Contract Assets. This ASU provides all entities with a practical expedient that allows for the assumption that current conditions as of the balance sheet date do not change for the remaining life of the asset when estimating credit losses for such assets. This standard will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of the annual period ending December 31, 2026 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact of applying the allowable practical expedient on its estimates of credit losses for accounts receivable and contract assets.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. This ASU aims to improve segment disclosures through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. The standard requires disclosure of significant expense categories and amounts for such expenses, including those segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker, easily computable from information that is regularly provided, or significant expenses that are expressed in a form other than actual amounts. This standard was effective for the Company as of and for the six-month period ended December 31, 2024 and was applied retrospectively to all prior periods, as presented in Note 15. Segment Information.
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, a final standard on improvements to income tax disclosures which applies to all entities subject to income taxes. The standard requires disaggregated information about a reporting entity’s effective tax rate reconciliation as well as information on income taxes paid. The standard is intended to benefit investors by providing more detailed income tax disclosures that would be useful in making capital allocation decisions. This standard is effective for the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the annual period ending December 31, 2025, and is required to be applied prospectively. This standard affects financial statement disclosure only and, as a result, does not affect the Company’s statement of operations, balance sheet or statement of cash flows.
Note 3. Revenue Recognition
Contracts with Customers
See Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Note 5. Revenue Recognition, to the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Form 10-KT, for more information regarding the details of the Company’s revenue recognition policies. All revenue recorded in the condensed consolidated statements of operations is considered to be revenue from contracts with customers in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606, Revenue From Contracts with Customers, except for revenues from subleases that are accounted for in accordance with ASC Topic 842, Leases.
Disaggregation of Revenue
The following tables disaggregate the Company’s revenue by major source and reportable segment based upon the timing of transfer of goods or services to the customer for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024:
| Three Months Ended | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere | MSG Networks | Total | |
| Event-related (a) | $152,926 | $— | $152,926 |
| Sponsorship, signage, Exosphere advertising, and suite license revenues (b) | 15,391 | 613 | 16,004 |
| Media related, primarily from affiliation agreements (b) | — | 105,277 | 105,277 |
| Other | 6,831 | 1,200 | 8,031 |
| Total revenues from contracts with customers | 175,148 | 107,090 | 282,238 |
| Revenues from subleases | 439 | — | 439 |
| Total revenues | $175,587 | $107,090 | $282,677 |
| Three Months Ended | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere | MSG Networks | Total | |
| Event-related (a) | $133,336 | $— | $133,336 |
| Sponsorship, signage, Exosphere advertising, and suite license revenues (b) | 15,852 | 614 | 16,466 |
| Media related, primarily from affiliation agreements (b) | — | 120,303 | 120,303 |
| Other | 1,215 | 1,261 | 2,476 |
| Total revenues from contracts with customers | 150,403 | 122,178 | 272,581 |
| Revenues from subleases | 814 | — | 814 |
| Total revenues | $151,217 | $122,178 | $273,395 |
| Six Months Ended | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere | MSG Networks | Total | |
| Event-related (a) | $287,151 | $— | $287,151 |
| Sponsorship, signage, Exosphere advertising, and suite license revenues (b) | 32,557 | 1,256 | 33,813 |
| Media related, primarily from affiliation agreements (b) | — | 225,648 | 225,648 |
| Other | 12,481 | 3,215 | 15,696 |
| Total revenues from contracts with customers | 332,189 | 230,119 | 562,308 |
| Revenues from subleases | 943 | — | 943 |
| Total revenues | $333,132 | $230,119 | $563,251 |
| Six Months Ended | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere | MSG Networks | Total | |
| Event-related (a) | $268,171 | $— | $268,171 |
| Sponsorship, signage, Exosphere advertising, and suite license revenues (b) | 48,794 | 1,270 | 50,064 |
| Media related, primarily from affiliation agreements (b) | — | 268,720 | 268,720 |
| Other | 3,079 | 3,154 | 6,233 |
| Total revenues from contracts with customers | 320,044 | 273,144 | 593,188 |
| Revenues from subleases | 1,537 | — | 1,537 |
| Total revenues | $321,581 | $273,144 | $594,725 |
(a) Event-related revenues consist of (i) ticket sales and other revenue directly related to the exhibition of The Sphere Experience, (ii) ticket sales and other ticket-related revenues to other events at our venue, (iii) venue license fees from third-party promoters, and (iv) food, beverage and merchandise sales. Event-related revenues are recognized at a point in time. As such, these revenues have been included in the same category in the tables above.
(b) See Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Revenue Recognition and Note 5. Revenue Recognition, to the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Form 10-KT, for further details on the pattern of recognition of sponsorship, signage, Exosphere advertising, suite licenses, and media related revenue.
In addition to the disaggregation of the Company’s revenue by major source based upon the timing of transfer of goods or services to the customer disclosed above, the following tables disaggregate the Company’s consolidated revenues by type of goods or services in accordance with the required entity-wide disclosure requirements of ASC Subtopic 280-10-50-38 to 40 and the disaggregation of revenue required disclosures in accordance with ASC Subtopic 606-10-50-5 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024:
| Three Months Ended | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere | MSG Networks | Total | |
| Ticketing and venue license fee revenues (a) | $124,640 | $— | $124,640 |
| Sponsorship, signage, Exosphere advertising, and suite license revenues | 22,624 | — | 22,624 |
| Food, beverage, and merchandise revenues | 27,884 | — | 27,884 |
| Media networks revenues (b) | — | 107,090 | 107,090 |
| Total revenues from contracts with customers | 175,148 | 107,090 | 282,238 |
| Revenues from subleases | 439 | — | 439 |
| Total revenues | $175,587 | $107,090 | $282,677 |
| Three Months Ended | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere | MSG Networks | Total | |
| Ticketing and venue license fee revenues (a) | $104,973 | $— | $104,973 |
| Sponsorship, signage, Exosphere advertising, and suite license revenues | 20,356 | — | 20,356 |
| Food, beverage, and merchandise revenues | 25,074 | — | 25,074 |
| Media networks revenues (b) | — | 122,178 | 122,178 |
| Total revenues from contracts with customers | 150,403 | 122,178 | 272,581 |
| Revenues from subleases | 814 | — | 814 |
| Total revenues | $151,217 | $122,178 | $273,395 |
| Six Months Ended | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere | MSG Networks | Total | |
| Ticketing and venue license fee revenues (a) | $237,618 | $— | $237,618 |
| Sponsorship, signage, Exosphere advertising, and suite license revenues | 46,798 | — | 46,798 |
| Food, beverage, and merchandise revenues | 47,773 | — | 47,773 |
| Media networks revenues (b) | — | 230,119 | 230,119 |
| Total revenues from contracts with customers | 332,189 | 230,119 | 562,308 |
| Revenues from subleases | 943 | — | 943 |
| Total revenues | $333,132 | $230,119 | $563,251 |
| Six Months Ended | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere | MSG Networks | Total | |
| Ticketing and venue license fee revenues (a) | $215,628 | $— | $215,628 |
| Sponsorship, signage, Exosphere advertising, and suite license revenues | 60,867 | — | 60,867 |
| Food, beverage, and merchandise revenues | 43,549 | — | 43,549 |
| Media networks revenues (b) | — | 273,144 | 273,144 |
| Total revenues from contracts with customers | 320,044 | 273,144 | 593,188 |
| Revenues from subleases | 1,537 | — | 1,537 |
| Total revenues | $321,581 | $273,144 | $594,725 |
(a) Amounts include ticket sales, other ticket-related revenue, and venue license fees from the Company’s events such as (i) concerts, (ii) The Sphere Experience and (iii) other live entertainment and sporting events.
(b) Primarily consists of affiliation fees from cable, satellite, fiber-optic and other platforms that distribute MSG Networks’ programming and, to a lesser extent, advertising revenues through the sale of commercial time and other advertising inventory during MSG Networks programming.
Contract Balances
The following table provides information about contract balances from the Company’s contracts with customers as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024:
| As of | ||
|---|---|---|
| June 30, | December 31, | |
| 2025 | 2024 | |
| Receivables from contracts with customers, net (a) | $152,193 | $154,949 |
| Contract assets, current (b) | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Contract assets, non-current (b) | 1,153 | 1,307 |
| Deferred revenue, including non-current portion (c) | 141,359 | 138,057 |
(a) As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company’s receivables from contracts with customers above included $969 and $325, respectively, related to various related parties. See Note 14 . Related Party Transactions for further details on these related party arrangements.
(b) Contract assets, current, which are reported as Prepaid expenses and other current assets in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets, primarily relate to the Company’s rights to consideration for goods or services transferred to customers, for which the Company does not have an unconditional right to bill as of the reporting date. Contract assets are transferred to accounts receivable once the Company’s right to consideration becomes unconditional.
(c) Revenue recognized for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 relating to the deferred revenue balance as of December 31, 2024 was $69,002 and $126,742, respectively.
Transaction Price Allocated to the Remaining Performance Obligations
As of June 30, 2025, the Company’s remaining performance obligations were $208,881, of which 66% is expected to be recognized over the nexttwo years and 34% of the balance is expected to be recognized thereafter. This primarily relates to performance obligations under sponsorship agreements that have original expected durations longer than one year and for which the respective consideration is not variable. In developing the estimated revenue, the Company applies the allowable practical expedient and does not disclose information about remaining performance obligations that have original expected durations of one year or less.
Note 4. Restructuring Charges
During the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, the Company incurred costs for termination benefits for certain employees in the Sphere segment. As a result, the Company recognized restructuring charges of $947 and $2,788 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, which were recorded in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. Restructuring charges of $141 and $4,808 were recorded for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively, which are recorded in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities, and Related party payables, current on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
Changes to the Company’s restructuring liability through June 30, 2025 were as follows:
| Restructuring Liability | |
|---|---|
| Balance as of December 31, 2024 | $3,590 |
| Restructuring charges | 2,788 |
| Payments | (4,115) |
| Balance as of June 30, 2025 | $2,263 |
Note 5. Investments
As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the Company’s investments consisted of the following:
| Investment As of | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ownership Percentage as of June 30, 2025 | June 30,2025 | December 31,2024 | |
| Equity method investments: | |||
| SACO Technologies Inc. | 30% | $19,151 | $18,095 |
| Gotham Advanced Media and Entertainment, LLC | 50% | 9,718 | 10,000 |
| Equity investments without readily determinable fair values | 8,721 | 8,721 | |
| Other equity investments with readily determinable fair values held in trust under the Company’s Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (a) | 3,721 | 3,580 | |
| Total investments | $41,311 | $40,396 | |
(a)The Company’s investments with readily determinable fair values are classified within Level I of the fair value hierarchy as they are valued based on quoted prices in active markets. Refer to Note 11. Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plan, for further detail on the Company’s Executive Deferred Compensation Plan.
The Company had an unrealized gain on equity investments with and without readily determinable fair values of $219 and $240, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $43 and $307 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively, which are recorded in Other expense, net.
Note 6. Property and Equipment, net
As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, property and equipment, net consisted of the following:
| As of | ||
|---|---|---|
| June 30,2025 | December 31,2024 | |
| Land | $— | $43,838 |
| Buildings | 2,267,873 | 2,263,750 |
| Equipment, furniture, and fixtures | 1,207,040 | 1,189,495 |
| Leasehold improvements | 23,835 | 23,835 |
| Construction in progress | 9,779 | 7,496 |
| Total property and equipment, gross | 3,508,527 | 3,528,414 |
| Less accumulated depreciation and amortization | (656,549) | (492,684) |
| Property and equipment, net | $2,851,978 | $3,035,730 |
The property and equipment balances above include $131,930 and $142,989 of capital expenditure accruals (primarily related to Sphere construction) as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, which are reflected in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. See Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Form 10-KT, for details on the Company’s estimated useful lives for each major category of property and equipment.
During the three months ended June 30, 2025, the Company completed the sale of its land in Stratford, London for $48,757, which was net of related expenses of $1,915. As a result of the sale, the Company recognized a pre-tax loss of $3,741, including the reclassification of a currency translation adjustment of $6,175, The loss was included in Impairments and other losses, net in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.
The Company recorded depreciation expense on property and equipment of $82,251 and $164,880 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $80,885 and $159,973 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively, which is recognized in Depreciation and amortization in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.
Note 7. Original Immersive Production Content
The Company’s deferred production content costs for its original immersive productions are included within Other non-current assets in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, total deferred immersive production content costs consisted of the following:
| As of | ||
|---|---|---|
| June 30,2025 | December 31,2024 | |
| Production content: | ||
| Released, less amortization | $39,880 | $52,782 |
| In-process | 114,979 | 49,837 |
| Total production content | $154,859 | $102,619 |
The following table summarizes the Company’s amortization of production content costs, which are reported in Direct operating expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 as follows:
| Three Months Ended · Six Months Ended | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, | June 30, | |||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Production content costs (a) | $5,845 | $7,093 | $13,089 | $14,882 |
(a) For purposes of amortization and impairment, each deferred immersive production content cost is classified based on its predominant monetization strategy. The Company’s current original immersive productions are monetized individually. Refer to Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Production Costs for the Company’s Original Immersive Productions, to the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Form 10-KT, for further explanation of the monetization strategy.
Note 8. Goodwill and Intangible Assets
The carrying amounts of goodwill as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 were as follows:
| As of | ||
|---|---|---|
| June 30,2025 | December 31,2024 | |
| Sphere | $46,864 | $46,864 |
| MSG Networks | 363,308 | 363,308 |
| Total Goodwill | $410,172 | $410,172 |
During the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024, the Company performed its annual impairment tests of goodwill and determined that there wereno impairments identified as of the impairment test date.
On December 31, 2024, MSG Networks’ affiliation agreement with CSC Holdings, LLC, a subsidiary of Altice USA (“Altice”), one of its major distributors, expired, subsequent to which the Company’s programming networks were not carried by Altice from January 1, 2025 through February 21, 2025. On February 22, 2025, MSG Networks and Altice entered into a multi-year renewal of the affiliation agreement and Altice resumed carriage of the Company’s programming networks. In connection with the preparation of the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements, and in light of changes affecting the MSG Networks reporting unit and the programming industry, the Company concluded that a triggering event had occurred for the reporting unit as of December 31, 2024, and performed an interim quantitative impairment test. As a result of the interim impairment test, the Company recorded a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $61,200 as of December 31, 2024 within the MSG Networks segment.
The Company continues to closely monitor the performance and fair value of its MSG Networks reporting unit. A significant adverse change in market factors or the business outlook for the MSG Networks reporting unit could negatively impact the fair value of our MSG Networks reporting unit and result in an additional goodwill impairment charge at that time.
The Company’s intangible assets subject to amortization as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 were as follows:
| As of | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30,2025 | December 31,2024 | |||||
| Gross carrying amount | Accumulated amortization | Intangible assets, net | Gross carrying amount | Accumulated amortization | Intangible assets, net | |
| Affiliate relationships | $83,044 | $(71,364) | $11,680 | $83,044 | $(69,806) | $13,238 |
| Technology | 15,508 | (3,619) | 11,889 | 15,508 | (2,068) | 13,440 |
| Trade name | 2,034 | (474) | 1,560 | 2,032 | (327) | 1,705 |
| Total | $100,586 | $(75,457) | $25,129 | $100,584 | $(72,201) | $28,383 |
The Company recognized amortization expense on intangible assets of $1,656 and $3,256 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $1,452 and $2,231 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively, which is recorded in Depreciation and amortization in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.
Note 9. Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments
As of June 30, 2025, commitments of the Company in the normal course of business in excess of one year were as follows:
| Commitments | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (Remainder) | 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | Thereafter | Total | |
| Sphere | |||||||
| Event-related commitments | $21,984 | $18,103 | $15,000 | $— | $— | $— | $55,087 |
| Letter of credit | 906 | — | — | — | — | — | 906 |
| Other | 1,000 | 2,000 | 333 | — | — | — | 3,333 |
| Total Sphere Commitments | $23,890 | $20,103 | $15,333 | $— | $— | $— | $59,326 |
| MSG Networks | |||||||
| Broadcast rights | $100,937 | $197,506 | $208,610 | $201,677 | $113,008 | $39,393 | $861,131 |
| Purchase commitments | 13,981 | 21,857 | 16,482 | 3,065 | — | — | 55,385 |
| Total MSG Networks Commitments | $114,918 | $219,363 | $225,092 | $204,742 | $113,008 | $39,393 | $916,516 |
| Total Commitments | $138,808 | $239,466 | $240,425 | $204,742 | $113,008 | $39,393 | $975,842 |
See Note 11. Leases to the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Form 10-KT, for more information regarding the Company’s contractually obligated minimum lease payments for operating leases having an initial noncancelable term in excess of one year. These commitments are presented exclusive of the imputed interest used to reflect the payment’s present value. See Note 10. Credit Facilities and Convertible Notes, for details of the principal repayments required under the Company’s various credit facilities.
Legal Matters
Fifteen complaints were filed in connection with the merger between a subsidiary of the Company and MSG Networks Inc. (the “Networks Merger”) by purported stockholders of the Company and MSG Networks Inc.
Nine of these complaints involved allegations of materially incomplete and misleading information set forth in the joint proxy statement/prospectus filed by the Company and MSG Networks Inc. in connection with the Networks Merger. As a result of supplemental disclosures made by the Company and MSG Networks Inc. on July 1, 2021, all of the disclosure actions were voluntarily dismissed with prejudice prior to or shortly following the consummation of the Networks Merger.
Six complaints involved allegations of fiduciary breaches in connection with the negotiation and approval of the Networks Merger and were consolidated intotwo remaining litigations.
On September 10, 2021, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (the “Court”) entered an order consolidatingtwo derivative complaints filed by purported Company stockholders. The consolidated action is captioned: In re Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. Stockholders Litigation, C.A. No. 2021-0468-KSJM (the “MSG Entertainment Litigation”). The consolidated plaintiffs filed their Verified Consolidated Derivative Complaint on October 11, 2021. The complaint, which named the Company as only a nominal defendant, retained all of the derivative claims and alleged that the members of the board of directors and controlling stockholders violated their fiduciary duties in the course of negotiating and approving the Networks Merger. Plaintiffs sought, among other relief, an award of damages to the Company including interest, and plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees. Pursuant to the indemnity rights in its bylaws and Delaware law, the Company advanced the costs incurred by defendants in this action, and defendants asserted indemnification rights in respect of any adverse judgment or settlement of the action.
On March 14, 2023, the parties to the MSG Entertainment Litigation reached an agreement in principle to settle the MSG Entertainment Litigation, without admitting liability, on the terms and conditions set forth in a binding term sheet, which was incorporated into a long-form settlement agreement (the “MSGE Settlement Agreement”) that was filed with the Court on April 20, 2023. The MSGE Settlement Agreement provided for, among other things, the final dismissal of the MSG Entertainment Litigation in exchange for a settlement payment to the Company of approximately $85,000, subject to customary reduction for attorneys’ fees and expenses, in an amount to be determined by the Court. The settlement’s amount was fully funded by the other defendants’ insurers. The MSGE Settlement Agreement was approved by the Court on August 14, 2023, which constituted the final judgment in the action. During the quarter ended September 30, 2023, a realized gain of approximately $62,600 was recorded in Other income (expense), net on the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations in connection with the settlement payment to the Company.
On September 27, 2021, the Court entered an order consolidating four complaints filed by purported former stockholders of MSG Networks Inc. The consolidated action is captioned: In re MSG Networks Inc. Stockholder Class Action Litigation, C.A. No. 2021-0575-KSJM (the “MSG Networks Litigation”). The consolidated plaintiffs filed their Verified Consolidated Stockholder Class Action Complaint on October 29, 2021. The complaint asserted claims on behalf of a putative class of former MSG Networks Inc. stockholders against each member of the board of directors of MSG Networks Inc. and the controlling stockholders prior to the Networks Merger. Plaintiffs alleged that the MSG Networks Inc. board of directors and controlling stockholders breached their fiduciary duties in negotiating and approving the Networks Merger. The Company was not named as a defendant but was subpoenaed to produce documents and testimony related to the Networks Merger. Plaintiffs sought, among other relief, monetary damages for the putative class and plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees. Pursuant to the indemnity rights in its bylaws and Delaware law, the Company advanced the costs incurred by defendants in this action, and defendants asserted indemnification rights in respect of any adverse judgment or settlement of the action.
On April 6, 2023, the parties to the MSG Networks Litigation reached an agreement in principle to settle the MSG Networks Litigation, without admitting liability, on the terms and conditions set forth in a binding term sheet, which was incorporated into a long-form settlement agreement (the “MSGN Settlement Agreement”) that was filed with the Court on May 18, 2023. The MSGN Settlement Agreement provided for, among other things, the final dismissal of the MSG Networks Litigation in exchange for a settlement payment to the plaintiffs and the class of approximately $48,500, of which approximately $28,000 has been paid by the Company and approximately $20,500 has been paid to the plaintiffs by insurers (who agreed to advance these costs subject to final resolution of the parties’ insurance coverage dispute). The MSGN Settlement Agreement was approved by the Court on August 14, 2023, which constituted the final judgment in the action. MSG Networks Inc. has a dispute with its insurers over whether and to what extent there is insurance coverage for the settlement (and has settled with one of the insurers). As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, approximately $18,000 has been accrued in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities. Unless MSG Networks Inc. and the remaining insurers settle that insurance dispute, it is expected to be finally resolved in a pending Delaware insurance coverage action.
The Company is a defendant in various other lawsuits. Although the outcome of these other lawsuits cannot be predicted with certainty (including the extent of available insurance, if any), management does not believe that resolution of these other lawsuits will have a material adverse effect on the Company.
Note 10. Credit Facilities and Convertible Notes
The following table summarizes the presentation of the outstanding balances under the Company’s credit agreements and convertible notes as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024:
| As of | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||
| Principal | Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs | Net | Principal | Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs | Net | |
| Current portion | ||||||
| MSG Networks term loan facility (a) | $58,799 | $— | $58,799 | $829,125 | $— | $829,125 |
| Current portion of long-term debt, net | $58,799 | $— | $58,799 | $829,125 | $— | $829,125 |
(a) The carrying amount of MSG Networks term loan facility, which was refinanced on June 27, 2025, for the period ended June 30, 2025, is calculated pursuant to the troubled debt restructuring guidance as further discussed below in this Note 10.
| As of | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||||||
| Principal | Debt Discount | Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs | Net | Principal | Debt Discount | Unamortized Deferred Financing Costs | Net | |
| Non-current portion | ||||||||
| MSG Networks term loan facility (a) | $305,171 | $— | $— | $305,171 | $— | $— | $— | $— |
| LV Sphere Term Loan Facility | 275,000 | — | (2,700) | 272,300 | 275,000 | — | (3,240) | 271,760 |
| 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes | 258,750 | (4,887) | (799) | 253,064 | 258,750 | (5,595) | (905) | 252,250 |
| Long-term debt, net | $838,921 | $(4,887) | $(3,499) | $830,535 | $533,750 | $(5,595) | $(4,145) | $524,010 |
(a) The carrying amount of the MSG Networks term loan facility, which was refinanced on June 27, 2025, for the period ended June 30, 2025 is calculated pursuant to the troubled debt restructuring guidance as further discussed below in this Note 10.
MSG Networks Credit Facilities
General. MSGN Holdings L.P. (“MSGN L.P.”), MSGN Eden, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of the Company and the general partner of MSGN L.P. (“MSGN Eden”), Regional MSGN Holdings LLC, an indirect subsidiary of the Company and the limited partner of MSGN L.P. (“Regional MSGN”), and certain subsidiaries of MSGN L.P. had senior secured credit facilities pursuant to a credit agreement (as amended and restated on October 11, 2019, and as further amended from time to time prior to June 27, 2025, the “Prior MSGN Credit Agreement”) consisting of: (i) an initial $1,100,000 term loan facility (the “Prior MSGN Term Loan Facility”) and (ii) a $250,000 revolving credit facility (together, the “Prior MSGN Credit Facilities”). The outstanding principal amount under the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement of $829,125 matured without repayment on October 11, 2024, and an event of default occurred pursuant to the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement due to MSGN L.P.’s failure to make payment on the outstanding principal amount on the maturity date. On October 11, 2024, there wereno borrowings or letters of credit issued and outstanding under the revolving credit facility and all revolving credit commitments under such facility terminated.
On October 11, 2024, MSGN L.P. and the guarantors under the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement entered into a forbearance agreement that was subsequently extended (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Forbearance Agreement”) with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and certain lenders under the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement (the “Supporting Lenders”). Subject to the terms of the Forbearance Agreement, the Supporting Lenders agreed to forbear, during the forbearance period, from exercising certain of their available remedies under the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement, including with respect to or arising out of MSGN L.P.’s failure to make payment on the outstanding principal amount under the Prior MSGN Term Loan Facility on October 11, 2024. The Forbearance Agreement was superseded by the Transaction Support Agreement (as defined below) and the forbearance period expired on April 24, 2025.
On April 24, 2025, MSG Networks, MSGN L.P., certain other subsidiaries of MSG Networks, the lenders under the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement identified therein (the “Consenting Lenders”), New York Rangers, LLC, New York Knicks, LLC (together with New York Rangers, LLC, the “Teams”) and the Company entered into a Transaction Support Agreement (the “Transaction Support Agreement”) with respect to the restructuring of the debt of subsidiaries of MSG Networks, amendments to the media rights agreements between MSG Networks and the Teams, and certain other matters. Under the Transaction Support Agreement, the Consenting Lenders agreed to forbear from exercising certain of their available remedies under the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement, including with respect to or arising out of MSGN L.P.’s failure to make payment on the outstanding principal amount of the Prior MSGN Term Loan Facility on October 11, 2024. On June 27, 2025, the Proposed Transactions contemplated by the Transaction Support Agreement were consummated.
On June 27, 2025, MSG Networks, MSGN L.P., MSGN Eden, Regional MSGN, Rainbow Garden Corp., a wholly-owned subsidiary of MSG Networks (collectively with MSG Networks, MSGN Eden and Regional MSGN, the “MSGN Holdings Entities”), and certain subsidiaries of MSGN L.P. entered into a second amended and restated credit agreement (the “A&R MSGN Credit Agreement”) with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, and the lenders party thereto (the “MSGN Lenders”). The A&R MSGN Credit Agreement amended and restated the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement in its entirety.
Pursuant to the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement, the Prior MSGN Credit Facilities were replaced with a $210,000 term loan facility (the “MSGN Term Loan Facility”), which matures on December 31, 2029.
In connection with the execution of the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement, the Company, the MSGN Holdings Entities and MSGN L.P. entered into an investor agreement, pursuant to which, among other matters, (i) the Company made a capital contribution to MSG Networks in an amount equal to $15,000; and (ii) the parties agreed that MSGN L.P. will be a part of the same affiliated group of which the Company is the common parent that files U.S. federal income tax returns on a consolidated basis. On June 27, 2025, MSGN L.P. made a cash payment of $80,000 (including the $15,000 capital contribution from the Company to MSG Networks) to the MSGN Lenders.
Interest Rates. Borrowings under the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement bear interest at a rate per annum, which at the option of MSGN L.P., may be equal to either 1) adjusted Term SOFR (i.e., Term SOFR as defined in the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement, plus 0.10%) plus 5.00% or 2) Alternate Base rate, as defined in the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement, plus 4.00%. Upon a payment default in respect of principal, interest or other amounts due and payable under the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement or related loan documents, default interest will accrue on all overdue amounts at an additional rate of 2.00% per annum. The interest rate on the MSGN Term Loan Facility as of June 30, 2025 was 9.42%.
Covenants. The A&R MSGN Credit Agreement and the related security agreement contain certain customary representations and warranties, and certain affirmative covenants and events of default. The A&R MSGN Credit Agreement contains significant restrictions (and in some cases prohibitions) on the ability of MSGN L.P. and the MSGN Subsidiary Guarantors (as defined below) to take certain actions as provided in (and subject to various exceptions and baskets set forth in) the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement, including without limitation the following: (i) incurring additional indebtedness and contingent liabilities; (ii) creating or granting liens on certain assets; (iii) making investments, loans or advances in or to other persons, (iv) paying dividends and distributions or repurchasing capital stock; (v) changing its lines of business; (vi) engaging in certain transactions with affiliates; (vii) amending specified agreements; (viii) with respect to restricted subsidiaries, issuing shares of stock such that MSGN L.P.’s ownership of any such restricted subsidiary is reduced; (ix) merging, dissolving, liquidating, consolidating, or disposing of all or substantially all of its assets; (x) making certain dispositions; (xi) making certain changes to its accounting practices; (xii) entering into agreements that restrict the granting of liens; (xiii) requesting any borrowing the proceeds of which are used in violation of anti-corruption laws or sanctions; (xiv) engaging in a liability management transaction; and (xv) limiting certain operating expenses incurred by MSGN L.P. and the MSGN Guarantors (as defined below). The MSGN Holdings Entities are subject to the restrictions described in the foregoing clauses (iv) and (xv), as well as customary passive holding company covenants.
Principal Repayments. Subject to customary notice and minimum amount conditions, MSGN L.P. may voluntarily prepay outstanding loans under the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement at any time, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty (except for customary breakage costs with respect to Term Benchmark (as defined in the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement) loans). The MSGN Term Loan Facility has a fixed amortization of $10,000 per quarter commencing on September 30, 2025. MSGN L.P. is required to make mandatory prepayments pursuant to a mandatory cash sweep, determined at the end of each fiscal quarter, that requires 100% of MSGN L.P.’s and the MSGN Subsidiary Guarantors’ excess balance sheet cash over certain thresholds (subject to certain exclusions) to be used to repay the principal amount outstanding. MSGN L.P. is further required to make mandatory prepayments in certain circumstances, including from the net cash proceeds of certain dispositions of assets or casualty insurance and/or condemnation awards (subject to a threshold below which payments are not required, as well as certain reinvestment, repair and replacement rights) and upon the incurrence of indebtedness (subject to certain exceptions).
In connection with the execution of the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement, the Limited Partnership Agreement of MSGN L.P. was amended to provide for the issuance of contingent interest units (the “Contingent Interest Units”) to the MSGN Lenders. Beginning with the fiscal calendar year-end following the repayment in full of the MSGN Term Loan Facility, the Contingent Interest Units entitle the MSGN Lenders to receive annual payments in an amount equal to 50% of the difference between MSGN L.P.’s balance sheet cash (subject to certain exclusions) and certain minimum cash balances, specified with respect to the applicable measurement date, until the earlier of (i) December 31, 2029 and (ii) payment of $100,000 in the aggregate to the MSGN Lenders. The Contingent Interest Units are also entitled to receive 50% of the proceeds of a merger and/or acquisition event related to MSG Networks and its subsidiaries occurring prior to December 31, 2029, subject to an aggregate cap of $100,000 considered together with the annual payments of excess cash described in the previous sentence.
Guarantors and Collateral. All obligations under the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement are guaranteed by the MSGN Holdings Entities and MSGN L.P.’s direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries that are not designated as unrestricted subsidiaries (the “MSGN Subsidiary Guarantors” and, together with the MSGN Holdings Entities, the “MSGN Guarantors”). All obligations under the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement, including the guarantees of those obligations, are secured by certain of the assets of MSGN L.P. and each MSGN Guarantor (collectively, “MSGN Collateral”), including, but not limited to, a pledge of the equity interests in MSGN L.P. held directly by the MSGN Holdings Entities and the equity interests in each MSGN Subsidiary Guarantor held directly or indirectly by MSGN L.P. The Company, Sphere Entertainment Group and the subsidiaries of Sphere Entertainment Group (collectively, the “Non-Credit Parties”) are not legally obligated to repay the outstanding borrowings under the MSGN Term Loan Facility, nor are the assets of the Non-Credit Parties pledged as security under the MSGN Term Loan Facility.
The following were the terms of the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement, which was replaced by the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement on June 27, 2025:
Interest Rates. Prior to October 11, 2024, borrowings under the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement bore interest at a floating rate, which at the option of MSGN L.P. could be either (i) a base rate plus an additional rate ranging from 0.25% to 1.25% per annum (determined based on a total leverage ratio), or (ii)adjusted Term SOFR (i.e., Term SOFR plus 0.10%) plus an additional rate ranging from 1.25% to 2.25% per annum (determined based on a total leverage ratio). After October 11, 2024, borrowings under the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement bore interest at the default rate consisting of (i) adjusted Term SOFR (i.e., Term SOFR plus 0.10%) plus an additional rate ranging from 1.25% to 2.25% per annum (determined based on a total leverage ratio), plus (ii) the additional rate of 2.00% per annum.
Covenants. The Prior MSGN Credit Agreement generally required the MSGN Holdings Entities and MSGN L.P. and its restricted subsidiaries on a consolidated basis to comply with a maximum total leverage ratio of 5.50:1.00 and a minimum interest coverage ratio of 2.00:1.00. Under the Transaction Support Agreement, the Consenting Lenders agreed to forbear from exercising their available remedies under the MSGN Credit Agreement with respect to or arising out of the failure to maintain compliance with the maximum total leverage ratio and the minimum interest coverage ratio described above until the earlier of the date on which the termination of the Transaction Support Agreement was effective with respect to the Consenting Lenders and the date on which the Proposed Transactions were consummated.
In addition to the financial covenants discussed above, the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement and the related security agreement (as modified in certain cases by the Transaction Support Agreement) contained certain representations and warranties, affirmative covenants, and events of default. The Prior MSGN Credit Agreement (as modified in certain cases by the Forbearance Agreement and Transaction Support Agreement) contained significant restrictions (and in some cases prohibitions) on the ability of MSGN L.P. and its restricted subsidiaries to take certain actions as provided in (and subject to various exceptions and baskets set forth in) the MSGN Credit Agreement, including the following: (i) incurring additional indebtedness and contingent liabilities; (ii) creating liens on certain assets; (iii) making investments, loans or advances in or to other persons; (iv) paying dividends and distributions or repurchasing capital stock; (v) changing their lines of business; (vi) engaging in certain transactions with affiliates; (vii) amending specified material agreements; (viii) merging or consolidating; (ix) making certain dispositions; and (x) entering into agreements that restrict the granting of liens. The MSGN Holdings Entities were also subject to customary passive holding company covenants.
Guarantors and Collateral. All obligations under the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement were guaranteed by the MSGN Holdings Entities, other than MSG Networks and Rainbow Garden Corp., and MSGN L.P.’s existing and future direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries that were not designated as excluded subsidiaries or unrestricted subsidiaries (together with the MSGN Holdings Entities, other than MSG Networks and Rainbow Garden Corp., the “Prior MSGN Guarantors”). All obligations under the Prior MSGN Credit Agreement, including the guarantees of those obligations, were secured by certain assets of MSGN L.P. and each Prior MSGN Guarantor (collectively, “Prior MSGN Collateral”), including, but not limited to, a pledge of the equity interests in MSGN L.P. held directly by the MSGN Holdings Entities and the equity interests in each MSGN Subsidiary Guarantor held directly or indirectly by MSGN L.P.
Based on conditions at MSGN L.P. and the terms of the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement, the entry into the A&R MSGN Credit Agreement met the criteria to be accounted for as a troubled debt restructuring. The troubled debt restructuring accounting model requires the inclusion of future principal, interest and potential contingent payments as part of the carrying amount of the modified debt to prevent recognizing a gain at the time of restructuring that may be offset by future expenses. As such, the carrying amount of the MSGN Term Loan Facility includes the $210,000 principal amount along with expected interest payments (at current rates) and potential contingent payments of future excess cash flows. ASC Topic 470-60 does not allow the consideration of the probability of occurrence of the contingencies when including contingent payments as part of the carrying amount. The gain on extinguishment was also further offset by fees and expenses and other direct costs incurred to effect the troubled debt restructuring. The resulting gain of $346,092 is included in Gain on extinguishment of debt in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations and was calculated as follows:
| MSG Networks term loan facility | |
|---|---|
| Original carrying amount before restructuring | $804,125 |
| June 27, 2025 repayment | (80,000) |
| Original carrying amount after repayment | 724,125 |
| Carrying amount calculation under troubled debt restructuring: | |
| Principal | 210,000 |
| Undiscounted interest payments (at current rates) | 53,970 |
| Contingent Interest Units | 100,000 |
| Total initial carrying amount on June 27, 2025 | 363,970 |
| Reduction in recorded carrying amount: | 360,155 |
| Fees and expenses and other direct costs | (14,063) |
| Gain on extinguishment of debt | $346,092 |
LV Sphere Term Loan Facility
General. On December 22, 2022, MSG Las Vegas, LLC (“MSG LV”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, entered into a credit agreement with JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and the lenders party thereto, providing for afive-year, $275,000 senior secured term loan facility (as amended, the “LV Sphere Term Loan Facility”).
Interest Rates. Borrowings under the LV Sphere Term Loan Facility bear interest at a floating rate, which at the option of MSG LV may be either (i) a base rate plus a margin of 3.375% per annum or (ii) adjusted Term SOFR (i.e., Term SOFR plus 0.10%) plus a margin of 4.375% per annum. The interest rate on the LV Sphere Term Loan Facility as of June 30, 2025 was 8.80%.
Principal Repayments. The LV Sphere Term Loan Facility will mature on December 22, 2027. The principal obligations under the LV Sphere Term Loan Facility are due at the maturity of the facility, with no amortization payments prior to maturity. Under certain circumstances, MSG LV is required to make mandatory prepayments on the loan, including prepayments in an amount equal to the net cash proceeds of casualty insurance and/or condemnation recoveries (subject to certain reinvestment, repair or replacement rights), subject to certain exceptions.
Covenants. The LV Sphere Term Loan Facility and related guaranty by Sphere Entertainment Group include financial covenants requiring MSG LV to maintain a specified minimum debt service coverage ratio and requiring Sphere Entertainment Group to maintain a specified minimum liquidity level.
The debt service coverage ratio covenant began testing in the quarter ended December 31, 2023 on a historical basis and on a prospective basis. Both the historical and prospective debt service coverage ratios are required to be at least 1.35:1.00. As of June 30, 2025, the historical and prospective debt service coverage ratio requirements were met. In addition, among other conditions, MSG LV is not permitted to make distributions to Sphere Entertainment Group unless the historical and prospective debt service coverage ratios are at least 1.50:1.00. The minimum liquidity level for Sphere Entertainment Group is set at $50,000, with $25,000 required to be held in cash or cash equivalents and is tested as of the last day of each quarter based on Sphere Entertainment Group’s unencumbered liquidity, consisting of cash and cash equivalents and available lines of credit, as of such date.
In addition to the covenants described above, the LV Sphere Term Loan Facility and the related guaranty and security and pledge agreements contain certain customary representations and warranties, affirmative and negative covenants and events of default. The LV Sphere Term Loan Facility contains certain restrictions on the ability of MSG LV and Sphere Entertainment Group to take certain actions as provided in (and subject to various exceptions and baskets set forth in) the LV Sphere Term Loan Facility and the related guaranty and security and pledge agreements, including the following: (i) incur additional indebtedness; (ii) make investments, loans or advances in or to other persons; (iii) pay dividends and distributions (which will restrict the ability of MSG LV to make cash distributions to the Company); (iv) change its lines of business; (v) engage in certain transactions with affiliates; (vi) amend organizational documents; (vii) merge or consolidate; and (viii) make certain dispositions.
Guarantors and Collateral. All obligations under the LV Sphere Term Loan Facility are guaranteed by Sphere Entertainment Group. All obligations under the LV Sphere Term Loan Facility, including the guarantees of those obligations, are secured by all of the assets of MSG LV and certain assets of Sphere Entertainment Group including, but not limited to, MSG LV’s leasehold interest in the land on which Sphere in Las Vegas is located and a pledge of all of the equity interests held directly by Sphere Entertainment Group in MSG LV.
3.50% Convertible Senior Notes
On December 8, 2023, the Company completed a private unregistered offering (the “Offering”) of $258,750 in aggregate principal amount of its 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due 2028 (the “3.50% Convertible Senior Notes”), which amount includes the full exercise of the initial purchasers’ option to purchase additional 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes. See Note 14. Credit Facilities and Convertible Notes to the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Form 10-KT for details on the 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes.
Debt Maturities
Debt maturities over the next five years for the outstanding principal balance under the MSGN Term Loan Facility, LV Sphere Term Loan Facility and 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes as of June 30, 2025 were as follows:
| MSGN Term Loan Facility (a) · LV Sphere Term Loan Facility · 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes · Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (remainder) | $20,000 | $— | $— | $20,000 |
| 2026 | 40,000 | — | — | 40,000 |
| 2027 | 40,000 | 275,000 | — | 315,000 |
| 2028 | 40,000 | — | 258,750 | 298,750 |
| 2029 | 70,000 | — | — | 70,000 |
| Thereafter | — | — | — | — |
| Total debt | $210,000 | $275,000 | $258,750 | $743,750 |
(a) The carrying amount of the MSGN Term Loan Facility, which is calculated by applying the troubled debt restructuring guidance as discussed above, is $363,970. Due to uncertainty in amounts payable and timing, Contingent Interest Units and undiscounted interest payments are excluded from table above. Furthermore, the debt maturities shown above do not reflect potential acceleration from quarterly mandatory cash sweeps.
Interest payments and loan principal repayments made by the Company under the credit agreements and convertible notes were as follows:
| Interest Payments · Loan Principal Repayments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Months Ended · Six Months Ended | ||||
| June 30, | June 30, | |||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | |
| MSG Networks term loan facility | $36,187 | $33,472 | $105,000 | $41,250 |
| LV Sphere Term Loan Facility | 12,574 | 13,482 | — | — |
| 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes | 4,528 | 4,352 | — | — |
| Total Payments | $53,289 | $51,306 | $105,000 | $41,250 |
The carrying value and fair value of the Company’s debt recorded in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets are as follows:
| As of | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2025 | December 31, 2024 | |||
| CarryingValue (a) | FairValue | CarryingValue (a) | FairValue | |
| Liabilities: | ||||
| MSG Networks term loan facility | $363,970 | $168,000 | $829,125 | $335,796 |
| LV Sphere Term Loan Facility | 275,000 | 270,875 | 275,000 | 273,625 |
| 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes | 253,863 | 363,984 | 253,155 | 353,246 |
| Total debt | $892,833 | $802,859 | $1,357,280 | $962,667 |
(a) The total carrying value of the Company’s debt as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 is equal to the current and non-current principal payments for the Company’s debt, excluding unamortized deferred financing costs of $3,499 and $4,145, respectively.
The Company’s debt is classified within Level II of the fair value hierarchy as it is valued using quoted indices of similar instruments for which the inputs are readily observable.
Note 11. Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plan
The Company sponsors (i) both funded and unfunded and qualified and non-qualified pension plans, including the Networks 1212 Plan (as defined below), Networks Excess Cash Balance Plan, and the Networks Excess Retirement Plan (together, the “Networks Plans”), (ii) an excess savings plan and (iii) a postretirement benefit plan (the “Postretirement Plan”). In connection with the distribution of approximately 67% of the outstanding common stock of MSGE Spinco, Inc. (now known as Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. and referred to herein as “MSG Entertainment”) to the Company’s stockholders on April 20, 2023 (the “MSGE
Distribution”), the Company established an unfunded non-contributory, non-qualified frozen excess cash balance plan (the “Sphere Excess Plan”) covering certain employees who participated in the pre-MSGE Distribution cash balance plan, which was transferred to MSG Entertainment in connection with the MSGE Distribution. The Networks Plans and Sphere Excess Plan are collectively referred to as the “Pension Plans.” Prior to the MSGE Distribution, the Company sponsoredtwo contributory welfare plans which provided certain postretirement healthcare benefits to certain employees hired prior to January 1, 2001.
The sponsorship of the Postretirement Plan covering Networks employees was retained by the Company while the postretirement plan covering MSG Entertainment employees was transferred to MSG Entertainment in connection with MSGE Distribution. In addition, the liabilities associated with the postretirement plan for MSG Entertainment employees were transferred from the Company to MSG Entertainment in connection with the MSGE Distribution. See Note 15. Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plan to the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Form 10-KT for more information regarding these plans.
Defined Benefit Pension Plans and Postretirement Benefit Plan
The following table presents components of net periodic benefit cost for the Pension Plans and Postretirement Plan included in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024. Service cost is recorded in direct operating expenses and selling, general and administrative expenses. All other components of net periodic benefit cost are recorded in Other expense, net.
| Pension Plans · Postretirement Plan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three Months Ended · Three Months Ended | ||||
| June 30, | June 30, | |||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Service cost | $48 | $60 | $4 | $3 |
| Interest cost | 494 | 693 | 24 | 38 |
| Expected return on plan assets | (238) | (623) | — | — |
| Recognized actuarial loss (gain) | 85 | 345 | — | 28 |
| Net periodic benefit cost | $389 | $475 | $28 | $69 |
| Pension Plans · Postretirement Plan | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Six Months Ended · Six Months Ended | ||||
| June 30, | June 30, | |||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Service cost | $96 | $121 | $8 | $8 |
| Interest cost | 988 | 1,127 | 48 | 55 |
| Expected return on plan assets | (476) | (836) | — | — |
| Recognized actuarial loss (gain) | 170 | 439 | — | 11 |
| Net periodic benefit cost | $778 | $851 | $56 | $74 |
Contributions for Qualified Defined Benefit Plans
The Company sponsorsone non-contributory, qualified defined benefit pension plan covering certain of its union employees, the “Networks 1212 Plan.” During the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 the Company didnot contribute any amounts to the Networks 1212 Plan.
Defined Contribution Plans
The Company sponsors the MSGN Holdings, L.P. Excess Savings Plan and the Sphere Entertainment Excess Savings Plan, and participates in the Madison Square Garden 401(k) Savings Plan (collectively, “Savings Plans”). Expenses related to the Savings Plans included in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations were $2,417 and $4,012 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $1,420 and $3,163 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively.
Executive Deferred Compensation
See Note 15. Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plan, to the Company’s Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Form 10-KT, for more information regarding the Company’s Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (the “Executive Deferred Compensation Plan”). The Company recorded compensation expense of $220 and $240 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $43 and $169 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively, within Selling, general, and administrative expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations to reflect the remeasurement of the Executive Deferred Compensation Plan liability. In addition, the Company recorded a gain of $220 and $240 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $43 and $169 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively, within Other expense, net in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations to reflect remeasurement of the fair value of assets under the Executive Deferred Compensation Plan.
The following table summarizes amounts recognized related to the Executive Deferred Compensation Plan in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets:
| As of | ||
|---|---|---|
| June 30,2025 | December 31,2024 | |
| Non-current assets (included in Investments) | $3,721 | $3,580 |
| Non-current liabilities (included in Other non-current liabilities) | $(3,721) | $(3,580) |
Note 12. Share-based Compensation
The Company hasthree share-based compensation plans: the 2020 Employee Stock Plan, the 2020 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors and the MSG Networks Inc. 2010 Employee Stock Plan, in each case as amended from time to time. See Note 15. Share-based Compensation, to the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Form 10-KT, for more detail on these plans.
Share-based compensation expense for the Company’s restricted stock units (“RSUs”), performance stock units (“PSUs”), stock options and/or cash-settled stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) are recorded in the condensed consolidated statements of operations as a component of direct operating expenses or selling, general and administrative expenses.
The following table summarizes the Company’s share-based compensation expense:
| Three Months Ended · Six Months Ended | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, | June 30, | |||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Share-based compensation (a) | $19,497 | $13,263 | $40,918 | $30,427 |
| Fair value of awards vested and exercised | $8,848 | $2,275 | 11,460 | $11,842 |
(a) Share-based compensation excludes costs that have been capitalized of$546 and$619 for the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively. For the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively, share-based compensation expense excludes costs of $0 and $1,166 that have been reclassified to Restructuring charges in the consolidated statements of operations.
As of June 30, 2025, there was $91,391 of unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested RSUs, PSUs, stock options and SARs held by the Company’s employees. The cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of approximately 2.1 years.
For the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, weighted-average shares used in the calculation of diluted earnings per share included the dilutive effect of 1,279 and 1,383 shares of Class A Common Stock, respectively, issuable under share-based compensation plans. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, weighted-average anti-dilutive shares primarily consisted of 7,143 and 6,844 shares under share-based compensation plans, respectively, and were excluded in the calculation of diluted EPS because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.
For the comparative three and six months periods ended June 30, 2024, all RSUs, PSUs and stock options were excluded from the calculation of diluted loss per share because the Company reported a net loss for the comparative prior periods and, therefore, their impact on reported loss per share would have been anti-dilutive.
Award Activity
RSUs
During the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, approximately 465 and 112 RSUs were granted, respectively, and approximately 235 and 30 RSUs vested, respectively.
PSUs
During the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, approximately 368 and 35 PSUs were granted, respectively, and approximately 158 and 65 PSUs vested, respectively.
Stock options
During the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, approximately 1,685 and 475 stock options were granted, respectively, and approximatelyno options and $184 options were exercised, respectively.
Note 13. Stockholders’ Equity
Preferred Stock
The Company is authorized to issue 15,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01. As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, no shares of preferred stock were outstanding.
Stock Repurchase Program
On March 31, 2020, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $350,000 of the Company’s Class A Common Stock. The program was re-authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors on March 29, 2023. Under the authorization, shares of Class A Common Stock may be purchased from time to time in accordance with applicable insider trading and other securities laws and regulations. The timing and amount of purchases will depend on market conditions and other factors. The Company has not engaged in any share repurchase activities under its share repurchase program to date.
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
The following tables detail the components of accumulated other comprehensive loss:
| Pension Plans andPostretirementPlan | CumulativeTranslationAdjustments | AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLoss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance as of December 31, 2024 | $(5,877) | $(1,631) | $(7,508) |
| Other comprehensive (loss) income: | |||
| Other comprehensive income before reclassifications | — | 1,941 | 1,941 |
| Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss (a) | (233) | — | (233) |
| Income tax benefit | 62 | 215 | 277 |
| Other comprehensive (loss) income, total | (171) | 2,156 | 1,985 |
| Balance as of March 31, 2025 | $(6,048) | $525 | $(5,523) |
| Other comprehensive (loss) income: | |||
| Other comprehensive income before reclassifications | — | 2,546 | 2,546 |
| Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss (a) | (234) | 6,175 | 5,941 |
| Income tax benefit (expense) | 63 | (3,061) | (2,998) |
| Other comprehensive (loss) income, total | (171) | 5,660 | 5,489 |
| Balance as of June 30, 2025 | $(6,219) | $6,185 | $(34) |
| Pension Plans andPostretirementPlan | CumulativeTranslationAdjustments | AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveLoss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balance as of December 31, 2023 | $(5,240) | $(1,074) | $(6,314) |
| Other comprehensive income (loss): | |||
| Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications | — | (968) | (968) |
| Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss (a) | 77 | — | 77 |
| Income tax (expense) benefit | (19) | 250 | 231 |
| Other comprehensive income (loss), total | 58 | (718) | (660) |
| Balance as of March 31, 2024 | $(5,182) | $(1,792) | $(6,974) |
| Other comprehensive (loss) income: | |||
| Other comprehensive income before reclassifications | — | 837 | 837 |
| Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss (a) | (478) | — | (478) |
| Income tax benefit (expense) | 126 | (78) | 48 |
| Other comprehensive (loss) income, total | (352) | 759 | 407 |
| Balance as of June 30, 2024 | $(5,534) | $(1,033) | $(6,567) |
(a) Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss represent the amortization of net actuarial loss and net unrecognized prior service credit included in net periodic benefit cost, which is reflected under Other income (expense), net in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations (see Note 11. Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plan).
The following table presents a reconciliation of weighted-average shares used in the calculations of basic and diluted earnings per share attributable to the Company’s stockholders for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, shares issuable under share-based compensation plans and the 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes were excluded from the calculation because their effect would have been anti-dilutive.
| Three Months Ended | Six Months Ended | |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, | June 30, | |
| 2025 | 2025 | |
| Weighted-average shares (denominator): | ||
| Weighted-average shares for basic EPS | 36,283 | 36,196 |
| Dilutive effect of shares issuable under share-based compensation plans | 1,279 | 1,383 |
| 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes (Note 10) | 7,286 | 7,286 |
| Weighted-average shares for diluted EPS | 44,848 | 44,865 |
See Note 12. Share-based Compensation for details on anti-dilutive shares.
Note 14. Related Party Transactions
As of June 30, 2025, certain members of the Dolan family, including certain trusts for the benefit of members of the Dolan family (collectively, the “Dolan Family Group”), collectively beneficially owned 100% of the Company’s outstanding Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Class B Common Stock”) and approximately 6.0% of the Company’s outstanding Class A Common Stock (inclusive of options exercisable within 60 days after June 30, 2025) for purposes of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock, collectively, represent approximately 71.8% of the aggregate voting power of the Company’s outstanding common stock. Members of the Dolan family are also the controlling stockholders of MSG Entertainment, Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (“MSG Sports”) and AMC Networks Inc.
See Note 19. Related Party Transactions, to the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Form 10-KT, for a description of the Company’s related party arrangements. There were no material changes in such related party arrangements during thethree and six months ended June 30, 2025, except that, on June 27, 2025, the media rights agreements between subsidiaries of MSG Networks, on the one hand, and New York Knicks, LLC and New York Rangers, LLC, on the other hand, were amended to (among other things) (i) reduce the annual rights fees payable New York Knicks, LLC and New York Rangers, LLC to effect a reduction of 28% and 18%, respectively, as of January 1, 2025 (ii) eliminate the annual rights fee escalators, and (iii) reduce the terms of the agreements to expire after the 2028-29 NBA and NHL seasons, respectively, subject to a right of first refusal in favor of MSG Networks. Additionally on June 27, 2025, MSG Networks issued penny warrants to MSG Sports exercisable for 19.9% of the common stock of MSG Networks. The penny warrants met the requirements for equity classification. The estimated fair value of the warrant was $0 at inception and its recognition in equity had no impact on the condensed consolidated financial statements. In addition, the Company has terminated its transition services agreement (the “MSGE TSA”) with MSG Entertainment, which has been replaced by a services agreement to continue to receive certain services from MSG Entertainment, such as information technology, human resources, finance, security, payroll, tax, certain legal functions, booking services, insurance and risk management, government affairs, investor relations, corporate communications, benefit plan administration and reporting, and internal audit functions as well as certain marketing functions, in exchange for service fees. The Company also provides certain corporate services to MSG Entertainment in exchange for service fees.
As of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, accrued liabilities associated with related parties were $18,204 and $18,242, respectively, and are reported under Accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.
The Company has entered into certain commercial agreements with its equity method investment nonconsolidated affiliates in connection with Sphere, including an arrangement with Crown Properties Collection LLC (“CPC”), pursuant to which CPC provided the Company sponsorship and sales services. The Company provided a notice of termination with respect to the agreement with CPC on September 20, 2024 and subsequently negotiated a wind down. Under this arrangement, the Company recorded commission expense of $875 and $1,747 for thethree and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $1,558 and $5,618 for thethree and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively. The Company completed the sale of its equity interest in CPC in June 2025.
Revenues and Operating Expenses
The following table summarizes the composition and amounts of the transactions with the Company’s related parties. These amounts are reflected in revenues and operating expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024:
| Three Months Ended · Six Months Ended | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, | June 30, | |||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Revenues | $1,202 | $323 | $2,486 | $1,538 |
| Operating expenses: | ||||
| Media fees | (24,181) | (42,845) | (69,124) | (86,792) |
| Corporate general and administrative expenses, net - MSG Entertainment Transition/Services Agreement | (17,188) | (27,355) | (34,522) | (54,849) |
| Origination, master control and technical services | (1,161) | (1,282) | (2,322) | (2,565) |
| Other operating expenses, net (a) | (2,270) | (4,137) | (5,750) | (9,976) |
| Total operating expenses, net (b) | $(44,800) | $(75,619) | $(111,718) | $(154,182) |
(a) Other operating expenses, net, includes reimbursements to MSG Entertainment for aircraft-related expenses, professional and payroll fees, and CPC commissions.
(b) Of the total operating expenses, net, $25,411 and $71,698 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $43,182 and $88,514 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively, are included in direct operating expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations. Of the total operating expenses, net, $19,389 and $40,020 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025, respectively, and $32,437 and $65,668 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2024, respectively are included in selling, general, and administrative expenses in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.
Note 15. Segment Information
As of June 30, 2025, the Company was comprised oftwo reportable segments: Sphere and MSG Networks. The Company takes into account whethertwo or more operating segments can be aggregated together as one reportable segment as well as the type of discrete financial information that is available and regularly reviewed by its Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”). The CODM is the Company’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.
The CODM evaluates segment performance and determines how to allocate resources based on the Company’s key financial measure of adjusted operating income (“AOI”), a non-GAAP financial measure. The Company defines AOI as operating income excluding:
(i) depreciation, amortization and impairments of property and equipment, goodwill and intangible assets,
(ii) amortization for capitalized cloud computing arrangement costs,
(iii) share-based compensation expense,
(iv) restructuring charges or credits,
(v) merger, debt work-out, and acquisition-related costs, including merger-related litigation expenses, net of insurance recoveries,
(vi) gains or losses on sales or dispositions of businesses and associated settlements,
(vii) the impact of purchase accounting adjustments related to business acquisitions, and
(viii) gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities under the Company’s Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (which was established in November 2021).
The Company believes that the exclusion of share-based compensation expense or benefit allows investors to better track the performance of the Company’s business without regard to the settlement of an obligation that is not expected to be made in cash. The Company eliminates merger, debt work-out, and acquisition-related costs, including merger-related litigation expenses, net of insurance recoveries, when applicable, because the Company does not consider such costs to be indicative of the ongoing operating performance of the Company as they result from an event that is of a non-recurring nature, thereby enhancing comparability. In addition, management believes that the exclusion of gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities under the Company’s Executive Deferred Compensation Plan provides investors with a clearer picture of the Company’s operating performance given that, in accordance with GAAP, gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities under the Company’s Executive Deferred Compensation Plan are recorded in Operating (loss) income whereas gains and losses related to the remeasurement of the assets under the Company’s Executive Deferred Compensation Plan, which are equal to and therefore fully offset the gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities, are recorded in Other (expense) income, net, which is not reflected in Operating (loss) income.
The CODM uses AOI for each segment predominantly throughout the annual budget and forecasting process. The CODM also considers budget-to-actual variances in AOI, at least quarterly, when making decisions about the allocation of operating and capital resources to each segment. Management believes AOI is an appropriate measure for evaluating the operating performance of its business segments and the Company on a consolidated basis. AOI and similar measures with similar titles are common performance measures used by investors and analysts to analyze the Company’s performance. The Company uses revenues and AOI measures as the most important indicators of its business performance, and evaluates management’s effectiveness with specific reference to these indicators.
AOI should be viewed as a supplement to and not a substitute for operating (loss) income, net income (loss), cash flows from operating activities, and other measures of performance and/or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. Since AOI is not a measure of performance calculated in accordance with GAAP, this measure may not be comparable to similar measures with similar titles used by other companies. The Company has presented the components that reconcile operating (loss) income, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, to AOI.
Information as to the operations of the Company’s reportable segments is set forth below.
| Three Months Ended | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere · MSG Networks · Total | ||||
| Revenues | $175,587 | $107,090 | $282,677 | |
| Event-related expenses (a) | (69,769) | — | (69,769) | |
| Rights fee expense | — | (39,303) | (39,303) | |
| Network programming and production costs | — | (15,664) | (15,664) | |
| Other direct operating expenses (a) | (6,582) | — | (6,582) | |
| Overhead expenses(b) | (96,389) | (16,634) | (113,023) | |
| Other segment expenses(c) | (86,295) | (2,200) | (88,495) | |
| Operating (loss) income | $(83,448) | $33,289 | $(50,159) | |
| Gain on extinguishment of debt | 346,092 | |||
| Interest income | 4,084 | |||
| Interest expense | (25,862) | |||
| Other expense, net | (400) | |||
| Income from operations before income taxes | $273,755 | |||
| Reconciliation of operating (loss) income to adjusted operating income: | ||||
| Operating (loss) income | $(83,448) | $33,289 | $(50,159) | |
| Adjustments: | ||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 17,953 | 897 | 18,850 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 81,707 | 2,200 | 83,907 | |
| Restructuring charges | 947 | — | 947 | |
| Impairment and other losses, net | 3,641 | — | 3,641 | |
| Merger, debt work-out, and acquisition related costs, net of insurance recoveries | 2,351 | 131 | 2,482 | |
| Amortization for capitalized cloud computing arrangement costs | 1,579 | — | 1,579 | |
| Remeasurement of deferred compensation plan liabilities | 219 | — | 219 | |
| Adjusted operating income | $24,949 | $36,517 | $61,466 | |
| Three Months Ended | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere · MSG Networks · Total | ||||
| Revenues | $151,217 | $122,178 | $273,395 | |
| Event-related expenses (a) | (63,456) | — | (63,456) | |
| Rights fee expense | — | (64,915) | (64,915) | |
| Network programming and production costs | — | (16,734) | (16,734) | |
| Other direct operating expenses (a) | (4,414) | — | (4,414) | |
| Overhead expenses(b) | (102,109) | (4,931) | (107,040) | |
| Other segment expenses(c) | (85,768) | (2,445) | (88,213) | |
| Operating (loss) income | $(104,530) | $33,153 | $(71,377) | |
| Gain on extinguishment of debt | — | |||
| Interest income | 7,729 | |||
| Interest expense | (26,921) | |||
| Other expense, net | (2,613) | |||
| Loss from operations before income taxes | $(93,182) | |||
| Reconciliation of operating (loss) income to adjusted operating income: | ||||
| Operating (loss) income | $(104,530) | $33,153 | $(71,377) | |
| Adjustments: | ||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 12,337 | 984 | 13,321 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 80,121 | 2,216 | 82,337 | |
| Restructuring charges | (88) | 229 | 141 | |
| Impairment and other losses, net | 5,735 | — | 5,735 | |
| Merger, debt work-out, and acquisition related costs, net of insurance recoveries | 910 | (5,473) | (4,563) | |
| Amortization for capitalized cloud computing arrangement costs | — | 21 | 21 | |
| Remeasurement of deferred compensation plan liabilities | 42 | — | 42 | |
| Adjusted operating (loss) income | $(5,473) | $31,130 | $25,657 | |
| Six Months Ended | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere · MSG Networks · Total | ||||
| Revenues | $333,132 | $230,119 | $563,251 | |
| Event-related expenses (a) | (133,910) | — | (133,910) | |
| Rights fee expense | — | (106,449) | (106,449) | |
| Network programming and production costs | — | (36,305) | (36,305) | |
| Other direct operating expenses (a) | (12,977) | — | (12,977) | |
| Overhead expenses(b) | (192,793) | (34,499) | (227,292) | |
| Other segment expenses(c) | (170,662) | (4,424) | (175,086) | |
| Operating (loss) income | $(177,210) | $48,442 | $(128,768) | |
| Gain on extinguishment of debt | 346,092 | |||
| Interest income | 7,962 | |||
| Interest expense | (52,068) | |||
| Other expense, net | (1,740) | |||
| Income from operations before income taxes | $171,478 | |||
| Reconciliation of operating (loss) income to adjusted operating income: | ||||
| Operating (loss) income | $(177,210) | $48,442 | $(128,768) | |
| Adjustments: | ||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 37,907 | 2,538 | 40,445 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 163,712 | 4,424 | 168,136 | |
| Restructuring charges | 2,788 | — | 2,788 | |
| Impairment and other losses, net | 4,162 | — | 4,162 | |
| Merger, debt work-out, and acquisition related costs, net of insurance recoveries | 3,339 | 3,934 | 7,273 | |
| Amortization for capitalized cloud computing arrangement costs | 3,158 | — | 3,158 | |
| Remeasurement of deferred compensation plan liabilities | 240 | — | 240 | |
| Adjusted operating income | $38,096 | $59,338 | $97,434 | |
| Six Months Ended | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere · MSG Networks · Total | ||||
| Revenues | $321,581 | $273,144 | $594,725 | |
| Event-related expenses (a) | (122,179) | — | (122,179) | |
| Rights fee expense | — | (134,582) | (134,582) | |
| Network programming and production costs | — | (38,813) | (38,813) | |
| Other direct operating expenses (a) | (7,985) | — | (7,985) | |
| Overhead expenses(b) | (211,085) | (19,104) | (230,189) | |
| Other segment expenses(c) | (168,360) | (4,387) | (172,747) | |
| Operating (loss) income | $(188,028) | $76,258 | $(111,770) | |
| Gain on extinguishment of debt | — | |||
| Interest income | 15,383 | |||
| Interest expense | (54,040) | |||
| Other expense, net | (5,869) | |||
| Loss from operations before income taxes | $(156,296) | |||
| Reconciliation of operating (loss) income to adjusted operating income: | ||||
| Operating income | $(188,028) | $76,258 | $(111,770) | |
| Adjustments: | ||||
| Share-based compensation expense | 25,610 | 4,435 | 30,045 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 157,827 | 4,377 | 162,204 | |
| Restructuring charges | 4,798 | 10 | 4,808 | |
| Impairment and other losses, net | 5,735 | — | 5,735 | |
| Merger, debt work-out, and acquisition related costs, net of insurance recoveries | 1,326 | (5,381) | (4,055) | |
| Amortization for capitalized cloud computing arrangement costs | — | 43 | 43 | |
| Remeasurement of deferred compensation plan liabilities | 168 | — | 168 | |
| Adjusted operating income | $7,436 | $79,742 | $87,178 | |
(a)Event-related expenses include, but are not limited to, day-of-event costs, direct operating expenses for The Sphere Experience, venue operating expenses, and other event-related direct operating expenses. Other direct operating expenses include, but are not limited to, expenses related to sponsorship, signage, Exosphere advertising, suite licenses, and other operating expenses. In total, these expenses when combined with MSG Networks rights fee expense and network programming and production costs represent the Company’s Direct operating expenses as presented on the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.
(b)For each reportable segment, Overhead expenses currently include selling, general and administrative costs.
(c)For each reportable segment, Other segment expenses include all other expenses that do not meet the definition of other previously disclosed expenses, primarily depreciation and amortization, impairment and other losses, net and restructuring charges.
Concentration of Risk
Accounts receivable, net in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets as of June 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 include amounts due from the following individual customers, which accounted for the noted percentages of the gross balance:
| As of | ||
|---|---|---|
| June 30,2025 | December 31,2024 | |
| Customer A | 13% | 14% |
| Customer B | 12% | 14% |
| Customer C | 10% | 10% |
Revenues in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024 include amounts from the following individual customers:
| Three Months Ended · Six Months Ended | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, | June 30, | |||
| 2025 | 2024 | 2025 | 2024 | |
| Customer 1 | 11% | 12% | 11% | 11% |
| Customer 2 | 9% | 12% | 6% | 12% |
| Customer 3 | 8% | 9% | 8% | 9% |
Note 16. Additional Financial Information
The following table provides a summary of the amounts recorded as cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash.
| As of | ||
|---|---|---|
| June 30,2025 | December 31,2024 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $355,661 | $501,954 |
| Restricted cash | 13,266 | 13,679 |
| Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | $368,927 | $515,633 |
The Company’s cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash are classified within Level I of the fair value hierarchy as they are valued using observable inputs that reflect quoted prices for identical assets in active markets. The Company’s restricted cash includes cash deposited in escrow accounts. The Company has deposited cash in interest-bearing escrow accounts related to credit support, debt facilities, and collateral to its workers compensation and general liability insurance obligations.
Prepaid expenses and other current assets consisted of the following:
| As of | ||
|---|---|---|
| June 30,2025 | December 31,2024 | |
| Prepaid expenses | $21,622 | $32,384 |
| Other receivables | 10,636 | 92 |
| Inventory | 12,819 | 12,583 |
| Other | 19,240 | 19,948 |
| Total prepaid expenses and other current assets | $64,317 | $65,007 |
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities consisted of the following:
| As of | ||
|---|---|---|
| June 30,2025 | December 31,2024 | |
| Accrued payroll and employee related liabilities | $41,058 | $42,892 |
| Cash due to promoters | 94,827 | 109,078 |
| Capital expenditure accruals | 131,930 | 142,989 |
| Accrued legal fees | 25,683 | 22,046 |
| Other accrued expenses | 53,427 | 71,365 |
| Total Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | $346,925 | $388,370 |
Income Taxes
During the six months ended June 30, 2025 and 2024, the Company made income tax payments, net of refunds, of $1,939 and $(140) respectively.
Note 17. Subsequent Events
Sphere Abu Dhabi
On July 25, 2025, Sphere Entertainment Group and DCT Abu Dhabi finalized and entered into a Franchise Agreement, a Joint Development and Partnership Agreement and a Pre-Opening Services Agreement relating to the construction, development and operation of Sphere Abu Dhabi.
Pursuant to the terms of the) Franchise Agreement, Sphere Entertainment Group granted DCT Abu Dhabi the exclusive right to build and operate Sphere Abu Dhabi. Subject to the terms of the Franchise Agreement, DCT Abu Dhabi also has the exclusive right to build and operate additional Sphere venues in the geographic region spanning the Middle East and North Africa (the “Exclusive Region”) for a period of at least 10 years after the opening date of Sphere Abu Dhabi, on terms and conditions to be negotiated in good faith and mutually agreed by Sphere Entertainment Group and DCT Abu Dhabi.
Sphere Entertainment Group has also granted DCT Abu Dhabi licenses for the relevant technology, patents, trademarks, The Sphere Experience content and other ancillary content for the development and operation of Sphere Abu Dhabi. DCT Abu Dhabi’s use of Sphere Entertainment Group’s intellectual property is subject to customary guidelines, restrictions and approvals, as well as quality control procedures.
In consideration for the grants of the franchise rights and licenses described above, DCT Abu Dhabi has agreed to pay Sphere Entertainment Group a franchise initiation fee and royalties for the use of Sphere Entertainment Group’s intellectual property (including The Sphere Experience content and other creative content), in each case, in accordance with the terms of the Franchise Agreement. A portion of the franchise initiation fee was previously paid to Sphere Entertainment Group and an additional portion of the franchise initiation fee will be paid to Sphere Entertainment Group in connection with the execution of the agreements. The remainder of the franchise initiation fee will be paid in a series of installments in connection with the achievement of specified milestones prior to the opening date of Sphere Abu Dhabi. The royalties will be payable in quarterly installments from and after the opening date of Sphere Abu Dhabi. The intellectual property royalty will be an annual fee based on a specified percentage of Sphere Abu Dhabi’s total revenues (other than total ticket sales for The Sphere Experience content licensed to DCT Abu Dhabi by Sphere Entertainment Group) for that year, subject to a specified minimum annual payment. The Sphere Experience content royalty will be an annual fee based on a specified percentage of total ticket sales for The Sphere Experience content licensed to DCT Abu Dhabi by Sphere Entertainment Group for that year, subject to a specified minimum annual payment. The royalty for ancillary content will be based on an initial annual fee that is increased by a fixed percentage annually. The Franchise Agreement has an initial term of 25 years from the opening of Sphere Abu Dhabi, with up totwo 10-year renewal terms at DCT Abu Dhabi’s option.
Pursuant to the terms of the Pre-Opening Services Agreement, Sphere Entertainment Group will also receive fees in connection with the provision of pre-construction and construction related services to DCT Abu Dhabi. In addition, prior to the opening of Sphere Abu Dhabi, Sphere Entertainment Group and DCT Abu Dhabi expect to enter into an Operational Services Agreement, pursuant to which Sphere Entertainment Group will provide to be agreed upon operational services to DCT Abu Dhabi following the opening of Sphere Abu Dhabi.
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