Madison Square Garden Sports Corp MSGS

Record Revenues of $887.4 Million for Fiscal 2023
Fiscal 2023 Operating Income of $85.2 Million and Adjusted Operating Income of $115.0 Million⁽¹⁾
Returned Approximately $250 Million to Shareholders in Fiscal 2023⁽²⁾

NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (NYSE: MSGS) (the "Company") today reported financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter and full-year ended June 30, 2023.  

The fiscal 2023 fourth quarter was highlighted by both the New York Knicks (the "Knicks") and New York Rangers (the "Rangers") participating in the playoffs following the conclusion of the 2022-23 regular seasons. This included a combined eight home playoff games at the Madison Square Garden Arena ("The Garden"), with the Knicks advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Throughout the fiscal fourth quarter and year, the Company continued to benefit from robust consumer and corporate demand for both its teams, with every key revenue category – tickets, media rights, suites and sponsorships, as well as food, beverage and merchandise – exceeding fiscal 2022's record full-year results.

For fiscal 2023, the Company reported revenues of $887.4 million, an increase of $66.1 million, or 8%, as compared to the prior year. In addition, the Company had operating income of $85.2 million, a decrease of $0.9 million, or 1%, as compared to the prior year, and adjusted operating income of $115.0 million, essentially unchanged as compared to the prior year.⁽¹⁾  

For the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter, the Company reported revenues of $126.9 million, a decrease of $48.3 million, or 28%, as compared to the prior year quarter. The decrease in revenues was primarily due to fewer Knicks and Rangers regular season and playoff home games, as compared to the prior year period. In addition, the Company had an operating loss of $12.2 million and an adjusted operating loss of $7.8 million, as compared to operating income of $23.7 million and adjusted operating income of $29.5 million in the prior year quarter.⁽¹⁾  

Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. Executive Chairman James L. Dolan said, "Our strong financial results in fiscal 2023 reflect the robust ongoing demand from our fans and corporate partners for the Knicks and Rangers. We believe we are well positioned to build on this momentum in the coming year and remain confident in our ability to generate long-term shareholder value."

Results from Operations
Results for the quarter and year ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 are as follows:

Summary of Reported Results from Operations
For the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter, the Company generated revenues of $126.9 million, a decrease of $48.3 million, or 28%, as compared to the prior year period. The decrease was primarily due to the timing of the NHL 2021-22 regular season in the prior fiscal year, which resulted in the Knicks and Rangers playing a combined five regular season home games at The Garden in the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter as compared to thirteen in the prior year period. In addition, the Knicks and Rangers played a combined eight playoff home games at The Garden in the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter as compared to ten playoff home games in the prior year period. As a result, pre/regular season ticket-related revenues, playoff-related revenues, suite revenues, sponsorship and signage revenues, league distributions and local media rights fees were all lower as compared to the prior year period.

Pre/regular season ticket-related revenues decreased $19.4 million as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to the Knicks and Rangers playing eight fewer regular season home games at The Garden during the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter, partially offset by higher average per-game revenue.

Playoff-related revenues decreased $8.6 million as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to the Rangers playing ten home playoff games in the prior year period as the team advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, which also resulted in higher per-game revenue in the prior year period, as compared to three home playoff games during the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter. This decrease was partially offset by the Knicks playing five home playoff games in the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter. 

Suite revenues decreased $7.7 million as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to the Knicks and Rangers playing eight fewer regular season games at The Garden during the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter, partially offset by higher sales of suite products.

Sponsorship and signage revenues decreased $5.3 million as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to the Knicks and Rangers playing eight fewer regular season games at The Garden during the current year period, partially offset by higher net sales of existing sponsorship and signage inventory.

League distributions decreased $3.5 million as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to the timing of the NHL 2021-22 regular season, which resulted in revenue being recognized over a longer time frame in the prior fiscal year, as well as lower other league distributions in the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter, partially offset by the impact of contractual rate increases for national media rights fees in the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter.

Local media rights fees decreased $1.9 million as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to the timing of the NHL 2021-22 regular season, which resulted in revenue being recognized over a longer time frame in the prior fiscal year, partially offset by the impact of contractual rate increases in the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter.

Direct operating expenses of $80.4 million decreased $12.5 million, or 13%, as compared to the prior year period. Operating lease costs under the arena license agreements with MSG Entertainment decreased $5.5 million and other team operating expenses decreased $5.3 million, both as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to the Knicks and Rangers playing eight fewer regular season games at The Garden during the fiscal 2023 fourth quarter. In addition, net provisions for league revenue sharing expense (net of escrow and excluding the playoffs) and NBA luxury tax decreased $4.1 million as compared to the prior year period. These decreases were partially offset by an increase of $4.6 million in net provisions for certain team personnel transactions as compared to the prior year period.

Selling, general and administrative expenses of $57.9 million increased $0.4 million, or 1%, as compared to the prior year period.

Operating income decreased $35.9 million to a loss of $12.2 million and adjusted operating income decreased $37.3 million to a loss of $7.8 million, both as compared to the prior year period, primarily due to the decrease in revenues, partially offset by lower direct operating expenses.

About Madison Square Garden Sports Corp.
Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (MSG Sports) is a leading professional sports company, with a collection of assets that includes the New York Knicks (NBA) and the New York Rangers (NHL), as well as two development league teams – the Westchester Knicks (NBAGL) and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL). MSG Sports also operates a professional sports team performance center – the MSG Training Center in Greenburgh, NY. More information is available at www.msgsports.com.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
The Company has amended its definition of adjusted operating income (loss) so that the non-cash portion of operating lease costs related to the Company's arena license agreements with MSG Entertainment is no longer excluded in all periods presented.

We define adjusted operating income (loss), which is a non-GAAP financial measure, as operating income (loss) excluding (i) depreciation, amortization and impairments of property and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets, (ii) share-based compensation expense or benefit, (iii) restructuring charges or credits, (iv) gains or losses on sales or dispositions of businesses, (v) the impact of purchase accounting adjustments related to business acquisitions, and (vi) gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities under the Company's Executive Deferred Compensation Plan. Because it is based upon operating income (loss), adjusted operating income (loss) also excludes interest expense (including cash interest expense) and other non-operating income and expense items. We believe that the exclusion of share-based compensation expense or benefit allows investors to better track the performance of our business without regard to the settlement of an obligation that is not expected to be made in cash. In addition, we believe 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 U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities under the Company's Executive Deferred Compensation Plan are recognized in Operating (income) loss 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 recognized in Miscellaneous income (expense), net, which is not reflected in Operating income (loss).

We believe adjusted operating income (loss) is an appropriate measure for evaluating the operating performance of our Company.  Adjusted operating income (loss) and similar measures with similar titles are common performance measures used by investors and analysts to analyze our performance.  Internally, we use revenues and adjusted operating income (loss) as the most important indicators of our business performance, and evaluate management's effectiveness with specific reference to these indicators. Adjusted operating income (loss) should be viewed as a supplement to and not a substitute for operating income (loss), net income (loss), cash flows from operating activities, and other measures of performance and/or liquidity presented in accordance with GAAP. Since adjusted operating income (loss) 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. For a reconciliation of operating income (loss) to adjusted operating income (loss), please see page 5 of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties, and that actual results, developments and events may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including financial community and rating agency perceptions of the Company and its business, operations, financial condition and the industry in which it operates, and the factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections titled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" contained therein. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein. 

Conference Call Information:
The conference call will be Webcast live today at 10:00 a.m. ET at investor.msgsports.com
Conference call dial-in number is 888-660-6386 / Conference ID Number 6996895
Conference call replay number is 800-770-2030 / Conference ID Number 6996895 until August 24, 2023

MADISON SQUARE GARDEN SPORTS CORP.
ADJUSTMENTS TO RECONCILE OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) TO
ADJUSTED OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)
(In thousands)

The following is a description of the adjustments to operating income (loss) to arrive at adjusted operating income (loss) as described in this earnings release:

• Depreciation and amortization. This adjustment eliminates depreciation, amortization and impairments of property and equipment, goodwill and other intangible assets in all periods.
• Share-based compensation. This adjustment eliminates the compensation expense related to restricted stock units and stock options granted under the Company's employee stock plan and non-employee director plan in all periods.
• Remeasurement of deferred compensation plan liabilities. This adjustment eliminates the impact of gains and losses related to the remeasurement of liabilities under the Company's executive deferred compensation plan.

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SOURCE Madison Square Garden Sports Corp.