Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments [Abstract]

Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments

Note 6: Sponsorship Revenue and Associated Commitments

Johnson Controls, Inc.

On July 2, 2020, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Sponsorship and Naming Rights Agreement (the “Naming Rights Agreement”) among Newco, PFHOF and Johnson Controls, Inc. (“JCI” or “Johnson Controls”), that amended and restated the Sponsorship and Naming Rights Agreement, dated as of November 17, 2016 (the “Original Sponsorship Agreement”). Among other things, the Amended Sponsorship Agreement: (i) reduced the total amount of fees payable to Newco during the term of the Amended Sponsorship Agreement from $135 million to $99 million; (ii) restricted the activation proceeds from rolling over from year to year with a maximum amount of activation proceeds in one agreement year to be $750,000; and (iii) renamed the “Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village” to “Hall of Fame Village”. This is a prospective change, which the Company reflected beginning in the third quarter of 2020.

JCI has a right to terminate the Naming Rights Agreement if the Company does not provide evidence to JCI by October 31, 2021 that it has secured sufficient debt and equity financing to complete Phase II, or if Phase II is not open for business by January 2, 2024, in each case subject to day-for-day extension due to force majeure and a notice and cure period. In addition, under the Naming Rights Agreement JCI’s obligation to make sponsorship payments to the Company may be suspended commencing on December 31, 2020, if the Company has not provided evidence reasonably satisfactory to JCI on or before December 31, 2020, subject to day-for-day extension due to force majeure, that the Company has secured sufficient debt and equity financing to complete Phase II.

Additionally, on October 9, 2020, Newco, entered into a Technology as a Service Agreement (the “TAAS Agreement”) with JCI. Pursuant to the TAAS Agreement, JCI will provide certain services related to the construction and development of the Hall of Fame Village (the “Project”), including, but not limited to, (i) design assist consulting, equipment sales and turn-key installation services in respect of specified systems to be constructed as part of Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Project and (ii) maintenance and lifecycle services in respect of certain systems constructed as part of Phase 1, and to be constructed as part of Phase 2 and Phase 3, of the Project. Under the terms of the TAAS Agreement, Newco has agreed to pay JCI up to an aggregate of approximately $217 million for services rendered by JCI over the term of the TAAS Agreement.

The TAAS Agreement provides that in respect of the Naming Rights Agreement, Johnson Controls and Newco intend, acknowledge and understand that: (i) Newco’s performance under the TAAS Agreement is essential to, and a condition to Johnson Controls’ performance under, the Naming Rights Agreement; and (ii) Johnson Controls’ performance under the Naming Rights Agreement is essential to, and a condition to Newco’s performance under, the TAAS Agreement. In the TAAS Agreement, Johnson Controls and Newco represent, warrant and agree that the transactions agreements and obligations contemplated under the TAAS Agreement and the Naming Rights Agreement are intended to be, and shall be, interrelated, integrated and indivisible, together being essential to consummating a single underlying transaction necessary for the Project.

On May 10, 2022, the Company received from JCI a notice of termination (the “TAAS Notice”) of the TAAS Agreement effective immediately. The TAAS Notice states that termination of the TAAS Agreement by JCI is due to Newco’s alleged breach of its payment obligations. Additionally, JCI in the TAAS Notice demands the amount which is the sum of: (i) all past due payments and any other amounts owed by Newco under the TAAS Agreement; (ii) all commercially reasonable and documented subcontractor breakage and demobilization costs; and (iii) all commercially reasonable and documented direct losses incurred by JCI directly resulting from the alleged default by the Company and the exercise of JCI’s rights and remedies in respect thereof, including reasonable attorney fees.

Also on May 10, 2022, the Company received from JCI a notice of termination (“Naming Rights Notice”) of the Name Rights Agreement, effective immediately. The Naming Rights Notice states that the termination of the Naming Rights Agreement by JCI is due to JCI’s concurrent termination of the TAAS Agreement. The Naming Rights Notice further states that the Company must pay JCI, within 30 days following the date of the Naming Rights Notice, $4,750,000. The Company has not made such payment to date. The Naming Rights Notice states that Newco is also in breach of its covenants and agreements, which require Newco to provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to JCI on or before October 31, 2021, subject to day-for-day extension due to force majeure, that Newco has secured sufficient debt and equity financing to complete Phase II.

The Company disputes that it is in default under either the TAAS Agreement or the Naming Rights Agreement. The Company believes JCI is in breach of the Naming Rights Agreement and the TAAS Agreement due to their failure to make certain payments in accordance with the Naming Rights Agreement, and, on May 16, 2022, provided notice to JCI of these breaches.

The Company is pursuing dispute resolution pursuant to the terms of the Naming Rights Agreement to simultaneously defend against JCI’s allegations and pursue its own claims. The Company anticipates that resolution of the dispute regarding the Naming Rights Agreement will include the TAAS Agreement. The parties participated in mediation in November 2022, but were unable to reach a resolution. On January 24, 2023, Newco filed a demand for arbitration, asserting claims against JCI for breach of contract, breach of the implied duty of good faith and fair dealing, and unjust enrichment. On February 16, 2023, JCI filed its response, generally denying Newco’s allegations and asserting counterclaims for breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and unjust enrichment. On March 9, 2023, Newco filed its response to JCI’s counterclaims, generally denying JCI’s allegations. A panel of three arbitrators has been constituted to hear and determine the dispute. On October 4, 2023, the Company and JCI commenced an arbitration hearing in Ohio to determine the outcome of the dispute. The ultimate outcome of this dispute cannot presently be determined. However, in management’s opinion, the likelihood of a material adverse outcome is remote. Accordingly, adjustments, if any, that might result from the resolution of this matter have not been reflected in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company suspended its revenue recognition until the dispute is resolved and has recorded an allowance against the amounts due as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 in the amount of $8,375,000 and $4,812,500, respectively. The balances due under the Naming Rights Agreement as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 amounted to $10,260,417 and $6,635,417 respectively.

Other Sponsorship Revenue

The Company has additional revenue primarily from sponsorship programs that provide its sponsors with strategic opportunities to reach customers through our venue including advertising on our website. Sponsorship agreements may contain multiple elements, which provide several distinct benefits to the sponsor over the term of the agreement and can be for a single or multi-year term. These agreements provide sponsors various rights such as venue naming rights, signage within our venues, the ability to be the exclusive provider of a certain category of product, and advertising on our website and other benefits as detailed in the agreements.

As of September 30, 2023, scheduled future cash to be received under the agreements, excluding the Johnson Controls Naming Rights Agreement, is as follows:

Year ending December 31,

2023 (three months)	$	842,703
2024		2,592,515
2025		2,461,078
2026		2,017,265
2027		1,757,265
Thereafter		4,609,529
Total	$	14,280,355

As services are provided, the Company is recognizing revenue on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the agreement. During the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company recognized $689,753 and $748,033 of net sponsorship revenue, respectively, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, $2,054,464 and $2,020,095, respectively.