Pension Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plan

6 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Pension And Other Postretirement Benefit Plan [Abstract]

Pension Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plan

Note 13. Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plan

The Company sponsors a non-contributory qualified cash balance retirement plan (the "Cash Balance Pension Plan") and an unfunded non-contributory non-qualified excess cash balance plan (collectively, the "MSG Cash Balance Plans"). In addition, the Company sponsors two non-contributory qualified defined benefit pension plans covering certain of its union employees ("Union Plans"). Benefits payable to retirees under the Union Plans are based upon years of service and, for one plan, participants' compensation.

The Company sponsored a non-contributory qualified defined benefit pension plan covering its non-union employees hired prior to January 1, 2001 (the "Retirement Plan") and sponsors an unfunded non-contributory non-qualified defined benefit pension plan for the benefit of certain employees who participate in the underlying qualified plan (the "Excess Plan"). As of December 31, 2007, both the Retirement Plan and Excess Plan were amended to freeze all benefits earned through December 31, 2007 and to eliminate the ability of participants to earn benefits for future service under these plans. On March 1, 2011, the Company merged the Retirement Plan into the Cash Balance Pension Plan, effectively combining the plan assets and liabilities of the respective plans. In connection with this merger, the respective benefit formulas of the plans were not amended. Effective March 1, 2011, the Retirement Plan no longer exists as a stand-alone plan and is part of the Cash Balance Pension Plan.

The Excess Plan, Union Plans, MSG Cash Balance Plans and Retirement Plan are collectively referred to as the "Pension Plans."

The Company also sponsors a contributory welfare plan which provides certain postretirement healthcare benefits to certain employees hired prior to January 1, 2001 and their dependents who are eligible for early or normal retirement under the Retirement Plan (or effective March 1, 2011, eligible to commence receipt of such early or normal Retirement Plan benefits under the Cash Balance Pension Plan), as well as certain union employees ("Postretirement Plan").

Components of net periodic benefit cost for the Company's Pension Plans and Postretirement Plan for the three and six months ended December 31, 2011 and 2010 are as follows:

	Pension Plans						Postretirement Plan
	Three Months Ended December 31,						Three Months Ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2011			2010
Service cost	$	1,640		$	1,519		$	45		$	50
Interest cost		1,724			1,587			76			85
Expected return on plan assets		(652	)		(404	)		—			—
Recognized actuarial loss (gain)		511			562			(11	)		(19	)
Amortization of unrecognized prior service cost (credit)		7			7			(55	)		(33	)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	3,230		$	3,271		$	55		$	83

	Pension Plans						Postretirement Plan
	Six Months Ended December 31,						Six Months Ended December 31,
	2011			2010			2011			2010
Service cost	$	3,279		$	3,350		$	107		$	90
Interest cost		3,448			3,095			180			162
Expected return on plan assets		(1,303	)		(955	)		—			—
Recognized actuarial loss (gain)		1,023			1,188			(11	)		(48	)
Amortization of unrecognized prior service cost (credit)		13			11			(88	)		(66	)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	6,460		$	6,689		$	188		$	138

In addition, Cablevision sponsors qualified and non-qualified savings plans (the "Cablevision Savings Plans") in which employees of the Company continued to participate for a period of time after the Distribution until such time that the Company established its own savings plans. The Company made matching cash contributions on behalf of its employees to the Cablevision Savings Plans in accordance with the terms of those plans. Effective February 1, 2011, the Company established the MSG Holdings, L.P. 401(k) Savings Plan and the MSG Holdings, L.P. Excess Savings Plan (the "MSG Savings Plans"). As of February 1, 2011, employees of the Company who were eligible participants have ceased participation in the Cablevision Savings Plans and participate in the MSG Savings Plans. Expenses related to the MSG Savings Plans included in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations were $652 and $1,434 for the three and six months ended December 31, 2011, respectively. Expenses related to the Cablevision Savings Plans included in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations totaled $632 and $1,395 for the three and six months ended December 31, 2010, respectively.