Atlanta Braves Holdings Reports Fourth Quarter and Year End 2024 Financial Results

Business Wire 26-Feb-2025 8:00 AM

Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. ("ABH") (NASDAQ:BATRA, BATRK)) today reported fourth quarter and year end 2024 results.

Headlines include:

• Total revenue grew to $663 million in the fourth quarter, up from $641 million in the prior year period.
  • Baseball revenue increased 2% to $595 million.
  • Mixed-use development revenue grew 14% to $67 million.
• Mixed-use development generated $45 million of Adjusted OIBDA in 2024, up 15% from the prior period.
• The opening of a new eight-stall food hall named the Outfield Market offering a variety of cuisines.

Discussion of Results

Baseball revenue is derived from two primary sources on an annual basis: (i) baseball event revenue (ticket sales, concessions, advertising sponsorships, suites and premium seat fees) and (ii) broadcasting revenue (national and local broadcast rights). Mixed-use development revenue is derived primarily from The Battery Atlanta mixed-use facilities and primarily includes rental income.

The following table disaggregates revenue by segment and by source:

There were 81 and zero home games played in the full year and fourth quarter of 2024, respectively, compared to 83 and 3 (including postseason) home games in the comparable prior year periods.

Baseball revenue increased 2% for the full year. Baseball event revenue increased primarily due to new sponsorship agreements and contractual rate increases on season tickets and existing sponsorship contracts, partially offset by reduced attendance at regular season home games. Broadcasting revenue increased due to contractual rate increases. Retail and licensing revenue decreased due to a reduction in local revenue due to the decrease in regular season home game attendance and demand for City Connect and other apparel, partially offset by higher league-wide revenue. Other revenue increased due to increases in spring training related revenue (ticket sales, concession revenue and other gameday related revenue), driven by increased attendance at spring training home games. Baseball revenue decreased 35% in the fourth quarter primarily driven by the lack of home games or concerts held in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to three home games and two concerts held in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Mixed-use development revenue increased 14% for the full year and 21% in the fourth quarter primarily due to increases in rental income, from various lease commencements and tenant recoveries, as well as higher parking revenue.

Operating income and Adjusted OIBDA increased in the full year, as revenue growth and decreases in selling, general and administrative expenses more than offset increases in baseball operating costs and mixed-use development costs. Baseball operating costs increased due to increases under MLB's revenue sharing plan and other shared expenses, minor league team and player expenses as well as major league player salaries. This was partially offset by decreases in variable concession and retail operating expenses due to reduced attendance at regular season home games. Mixed-use development costs increased due to security and parking expenses. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased due to reduced transaction costs related to the Split-Off² (as defined below), partially offset by increased personnel costs and insurance, information technology, and professional fees.

Operating income and Adjusted OIBDA increased in the fourth quarter compared to the prior year due to reduced baseball operating costs and selling, general and administrative expenses. Decreased baseball operating costs in the fourth quarter were due to reduced player salaries, including limited offseason trade activity. Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased due to reduced transactions costs related to the Split-Off (as defined below).

FOOTNOTES

Important Notice: Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:BATRA, BATRK)) will discuss ABH's earnings release on a conference call which will begin at 10:00 a.m. (E.T.) on February 26, 2025. The call can be accessed by dialing (877) 407-9709 or +1 (201) 689-8542, passcode 13751454 at least 10 minutes prior to the start time. The call will also be broadcast live across the Internet and archived on our website. To access the webcast, go to https://www.bravesholdings.com/investors/news-events/ir-calendar. Links to this press release will also be available on the ABH website.

During the conference call, ABH may discuss and answer questions concerning business and financial developments and trends that have occurred after year-end. ABH's responses to questions, as well as other matters discussed during the conference call, may contain or constitute information that has not been disclosed previously.

This press release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about business, product and marketing strategies, future financial performance and prospects, trends and any other matters that are not historical facts. The words "believe," "estimate," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "strategy," "continue," "seek," "may," "could" and similar expressions or statements regarding future periods are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements may contain such words. Where, in any forward-looking statement, we express an expectation or belief as to future results or events, such expectation or belief is expressed in good faith and believed to have a reasonable basis, but such statements necessarily involve risks and uncertainties and there can be no assurance that the expectation or belief will result or be achieved or accomplished. Given these uncertainties, we caution you not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, include, without limitation: ABH's inability to replicate certain functions or the loss of benefits of contracts associated with the transition away from Liberty Media; ABH's historical financial information not being representative of its future financial position, results of operations, or cash flows; ABH's ability to recognize anticipated benefits from the Split-Off from Liberty Media; ABH's ability to successfully transition responsibilities for various matters from Liberty Media to in-house or third party personnel and costs incurred in connection with operating as a standalone public company; ABH's ownership, management and board of directors structure; ABH's indebtedness and its ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms and cash in amounts sufficient to service debt and other financial obligations; ABH's ability to realize the benefits of acquisitions or other strategic investments; the impact of inflation and weak economic conditions on consumer demand for products, services and events offered by ABH; the outcome of pending or future litigation or investigations; operational risks of ABH and its business affiliates with operations outside of the U.S.; ABH's ability to use net operating loss and disallowed business interest carryforwards; ABH's ability to comply with government regulations and potential adverse outcomes of regulatory proceedings; the regulatory and competitive environment in which ABH operates; potential changes in the nature of key strategic relationships with business partners, vendors and joint venturers; the achievement of on-field success and ability to develop, obtain and retain talented players; the impact of organized labor; the impact of the structure or an expansion of Major League Baseball; the level of broadcasting revenue that ABH and its subsidiaries receive; the impact of data losses or breaches or disruptions in ABH's information systems and information system security; ABH's processing, storage, sharing, use and protection of personal data; ABH's ability to attract and retain qualified key personnel; the inherent risks in the real estate business, including, but not limited to, tenant defaults, potential liability related to environmental matters and liquidity of real estate investments; and the impact of geopolitical incidents, accidents, terrorist acts, pandemics or epidemics, natural disasters, including the effects of climate change, or other events that cause one or more events to be cancelled or postponed, are not covered by insurance, or cause reputational damage to ABH and its affiliates. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and ABH expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in ABH's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Please refer to the publicly filed documents of ABH, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as may be updated by subsequent filings under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including Forms 10-Q and 8-K, for additional information about ABH and about the risks and uncertainties related to ABH's business which may affect the statements made in this press release.

NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES AND SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES

SCHEDULE 1: Reconciliation of Adjusted OIBDA to Operating Income (Loss)

To provide investors with additional information regarding our financial results, this press release includes a presentation of Adjusted OIBDA, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, for ABH together with reconciliations to operating income, as determined under GAAP. ABH defines Adjusted OIBDA as operating income (loss) plus depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation, separately reported litigation settlements, restructuring, acquisition and impairment charges, if applicable. However, ABH's definition of Adjusted OIBDA may differ from similarly titled measures disclosed by other companies.

ABH believes Adjusted OIBDA is an important indicator of the operational strength and performance of its businesses by identifying those items that are not directly a reflection of each business' performance or indicative of ongoing business trends. In addition, this measure allows management to view operating results and perform analytical comparisons and benchmarking between businesses and identify strategies to improve performance. Because Adjusted OIBDA is used as a measure of operating performance, ABH views operating income as the most directly comparable GAAP measure. Adjusted OIBDA is not meant to replace or supersede operating income or any other GAAP measure, but rather to supplement such GAAP measures in order to present investors with the same information that ABH management considers in assessing the results of operations and performance of its assets.

The following table provides a reconciliation of Adjusted OIBDA for ABH to operating income (loss) calculated in accordance with GAAP for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2024.

SCHEDULE 2: Cash and Debt

The following presentation is provided to separately identify cash and debt information. ABH cash increased $9 million during the fourth quarter as cash from operations increased primarily due to seasonal working capital changes and distributions from equity method affiliates partially offset by capital expenditures and repayments on borrowings. ABH debt decreased $23 million in the fourth quarter primarily due to repayments under the TeamCo revolver partially offset by borrowings on mixed-use development credit facilities to support capital projects.

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Cameron Rudd – Investor Relations (404) 614-2300 or investorrelations@braves.com