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Description of Business and Basis of Presentation
12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Description of Business And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]  
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation 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 of two reportable segments, Sphere and MSG Networks. Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium, and MSG Networks operates two regional sports and entertainment networks, as well as a direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) and authenticated streaming product.
Sphere: This segment reflects SphereTM, 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 on September 29, 2023. The venue can accommodate up to 20,000 guests and can host a wide variety of events year-round, including The Sphere ExperienceTM, 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 StudiosTM, an immersive content studio dedicated to creating multi-sensory live 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 ExosphereTM, 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.
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 product, MSG+. 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 (the “Islanders”), New Jersey Devils (the “Devils”) and Buffalo Sabres (the “Sabres”) of the National Hockey League (the “NHL”), as well as significant coverage of the New York Giants (the “Giants”) and the Buffalo Bills (the “Bills”) of the National Football League (the “NFL”).
The Company (formerly Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.) was incorporated on November 21, 2019 as a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of MSG Sports. On April 17, 2020, MSG Sports distributed all outstanding common stock of the Company to MSG Sports’ stockholders (the “2020 Entertainment Distribution”).
MSG Entertainment Distribution
On April 20, 2023 (the “MSGE Distribution Date”), the Company distributed approximately 67% of the outstanding common stock of Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp (“MSG Entertainment”) to its stockholders (the “MSGE Distribution”), with the Company retaining approximately 33% of the outstanding common stock of MSG Entertainment (in the form of MSG Entertainment Class A common stock) immediately following the MSGE Distribution (the “MSGE Retained Interest”). Following the MSGE Distribution Date, the Company retained the Sphere and MSG Networks businesses and MSG Entertainment now owns the traditional live entertainment business previously owned and operated by the Company through its Entertainment business segment, excluding the Sphere business. In the MSGE Distribution, stockholders of the Company received (a) one share of MSG Entertainment’s Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share, for every share of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Class A Common Stock”), held of record as of the close of business, New York City time, on April 14, 2023 (the “Record Date”), and (b) one share of MSG Entertainment’s Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share, for every share of the Company’s Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Class B Common Stock”), held of record as of the close of business, New York City time, on the Record Date.
As of April 20, 2023, the MSG Entertainment business met the criteria for discontinued operations. See Note 3. Discontinued Operations, for more information about the MSGE Distribution.
As of June 30, 2024, following the sales of portions of the MSGE Retained Interest and the repayment of the delayed draw term loan with MSG Entertainment using a portion of the MSGE Retained Interest, the Company no longer holds any of the outstanding common stock of MSG Entertainment. See Note 7. Investments and Note 13. Credit Facilities and Convertible Notes for more information about the MSGE Retained Interest.
Tao Group Hospitality Disposition
On May 3, 2023, the Company completed the sale of its 66.9% majority interest in TAO Group Sub-Holdings LLC (“Tao Group Hospitality”) to a subsidiary of Mohari Hospitality Limited, a global investment company focused on the luxury lifestyle and hospitality sectors (the “Tao Group Hospitality Disposition”).
Since March 31, 2023, the Tao Group Hospitality segment met the criteria for discontinued operations and was classified as a discontinued operation. See Note 3 Discontinued Operations for more information about the Tao Group Hospitality Disposition.
Basis of Presentation
The Company has historically reported on a fiscal year basis ending on June 30th. In these consolidated financial statements, the fiscal years ended June 30, 2024, 2023 and 2022 are referred to as “Fiscal Year 2024,” “Fiscal Year 2023,” and “Fiscal Year 2022,” respectively. On June 26, 2024, the Board of Directors approved a change in the Company’s fiscal year-end from June 30 to December 31, effective December 31, 2024. The Company plans to report its financial results for the six-month transition period of July 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 on an Annual Report on Form 10-K/T and to thereafter file reports for the twelve-month period ending December 31 of each year, beginning with the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2025. Prior to filing the transition report, the Company will file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending September 30, 2024.
The Company has presented both the MSG Entertainment business and Tao Group Hospitality as discontinued operations for all periods presented. See Note 3. Discontinued Operations for more information about the MSGE Distribution and Tao Group Hospitality Disposition.
Reclassifications
For purposes of comparability, certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).