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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies.  
Commitments and Contingencies

13. Commitments and Contingencies

Sponsorship and Other Agreements

The Company enters into sponsorship agreements from time to time. Current sponsorship agreements run through 2024. The agreements consist of annual fees payable in aggregate of $11.6 million in 2021, $14.5 million in 2022, $5.6 million in 2023, and $4.5 million in 2024, which are recognized to expense over the expected benefit period.

The Company entered into a subscription agreement for a customer relationship management software application in 2014. The subscription agreement was amended on October 28, 2016 and again October 18, 2017. The amended subscription agreement for future software services consists of annual fees payable as follows: $4.5 million in 2019, $4.8 million in 2020, and $5.0 million in 2021. Expense is recognized ratably over the term of the agreement.

Self-Insurance Program

Self-insurance reserves represent amounts established as a result of insurance programs under which the Company self-insures portions of the business risks. The Company carries substantial premium-paid, traditional risk transfer insurance for various business risks. The Company self-insures and establishes reserves for the retention on workers’ compensation insurance, general liability, automobile liability, professional errors and omission liability, and employee health claims. The self-insured claims liability was approximately $19.6 million and $18.4 million at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The determination of such claims and expenses and the appropriateness of the related liability are continually reviewed and updated. The self-insurance accruals are calculated by actuaries and are based on claims filed and include estimates for claims incurred but not yet reported. Projections of future losses, including incurred but not reported losses, are inherently uncertain because of the random nature of insurance claims and could be substantially affected if occurrences and claims differ significantly from these assumptions and historical trends. In addition, the Company has obtained letters of credit as required by insurance carriers. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, these letters of credit were approximately $17.7 million and $15.3 million, respectively. This includes $11.7 million and $11.2 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively, issued under the Floor Plan Facility (see Note 4 — Inventories, net and Notes Payable — Floor Plan, net), and the balance issued under the Company’s Senior Secured Credit Facilities (see Note 9 — Long-Term Debt).

Litigation

On October 19, 2018, a purported stockholder of the Company filed a putative class action lawsuit, captioned Ronge v. Camping World Holdings, Inc. et al., in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against the Company, certain of its officers and directors, and Crestview Partners II GP, L.P. and Crestview Advisors, L.L.C. (the “Ronge Complaint”). On October 25, 2018, a different purported stockholder of the Company filed a putative class action lawsuit, captioned Strougo v. Camping World Holdings, Inc. et al., in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against the Company, certain of its officers and directors, and Crestview Partners II GP, L.P. and Crestview Advisors, L.L.C. (the “Strougo Complaint”).

The Ronge and Strougo Complaints were consolidated and lead plaintiffs (the “Ronge Lead Plaintiffs”) appointed by the court. On February 27, 2019, the Ronge lead plaintiffs filed a consolidated complaint against the Company, certain of its officers, directors, Crestview Partners II GP, L.P. and Crestview Advisors, L.L.C., and the underwriters of the May and October 2017 secondary offerings of the Company’s Class A common stock (the “Consolidated Complaint”). The Consolidated Complaint alleged violations of Sections 11 and 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as well as Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, based on allegedly materially misleading statements or omissions of material facts necessary to make certain statements not misleading related to the business, operations, and management of the Company. Additionally, it alleged that certain of the Company’s officers and directors, Crestview Partners II GP, L.P., and Crestview Advisors, L.L.C. violated Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, by allegedly acting as controlling persons of the Company. On March 12, 2020, Ronge Lead Plaintiffs filed an Amended Consolidated Complaint, adding those allegations contained in the Geis Complaint (defined below). On March 13, 2020, Ronge Lead Plaintiffs filed an unopposed motion for preliminary approval of class action settlement, which the Court granted on April 7, 2020. On August 5, 2020, the Court granted final approval of the class action settlement and the case was dismissed with prejudice. The settlement was paid directly by the Company’s insurance carriers.

On December 12, 2018, a putative class action complaint styled International Union of Operating Engineers Benefit Funds of Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware v. Camping World Holdings Inc., et al. was filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County, on behalf of all purchasers of Camping World Class A common stock issued pursuant and/or traceable to a secondary offering of such securities in

October 2017 (“IUOE Complaint”). The IUOE Complaint named as defendants the Company, and certain of its officers and directors, among others, and alleged violations of Sections 11, 12(a), and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 based on allegedly materially misleading statements or omissions of material facts necessary to make certain statements not misleading. On July 13, 2020, the parties entered into a confidential settlement agreement resolving the named plaintiff’s claims. The putative class’s claims were duplicative of certain claims in the Ronge case described above, and thus were included in the settlement agreement that the Ronge court approved at the settlement hearing on August 5, 2020. The Court entered an order of final dismissal on September 8, 2020.

On February 22, 2019, a putative class action complaint styled Daniel Geis v. Camping World Holdings, Inc., et al. was filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chancery Division, on behalf of all purchasers of Camping World Class A common stock in and/or traceable to the Company’s initial public offering on October 6, 2016 (“Geis Complaint”). The Geis Complaint named as defendants the Company, certain of its officers and directors, and the underwriters of the offering, and alleged violations of Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 based on allegedly materially misleading statements or omissions of material facts necessary to make certain statements not misleading. The Geis plaintiff became a plaintiff in Ronge, and the Geis putative class’s claims were duplicative of certain claims in the Ronge case described above, and thus were included in the settlement agreement that the Ronge court approved on August 5, 2020. The Court entered an order of final dismissal on August 18, 2020.

On March 5, 2019, a shareholder derivative suit styled Hunnewell v. Camping World Holdings, Inc., et al., was filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, alleging breaches of fiduciary duty for alleged failure to implement effective disclosure controls and internal controls over financial reporting and to properly oversee certain acquisitions and for alleged insider trading (the “Hunnewell Complaint”).

On April 17, 2019, a shareholder derivative suit styled Lincolnshire Police Pension Fund v. Camping World Holdings, Inc., et al., was filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, alleging breaches of fiduciary duty for alleged failure to implement effective disclosure controls and internal controls over financial reporting and to properly oversee certain acquisitions and for alleged insider trading and unjust enrichment for compensation received during that time (the “LPPF Complaint”). The LPPF Complaint names the Company as nominal defendant, and names certain of the Company’s officers and directors, among others, as defendants and seeks compensatory damages, extraordinary equitable and/or injunctive relief, restitution and disgorgement, attorneys’ fees and costs, and any other and further relief the court deems just and proper. On May 30, 2019, the Court granted the parties’ joint motion to consolidate the Hunnewell and LPPF Complaints (as well as any future filed actions relating to the subject matter) and stay the newly consolidated action pending the resolution of defendants’ motion to dismiss in the Ronge action. Following the Ronge court’s approval of settlement and entry of a final judgment and order dismissing the Ronge action with prejudice, on August 31, 2020, the parties filed a stipulation and proposed order designating the LPPF Complaint as the operative complaint in the consolidated action, and setting forth a schedule for defendants to respond to that Complaint, which the Court granted. On October 30, 2020, the Company, along with the other defendants, moved to dismiss this action. On December 30, 2020, the Court granted the parties’ stipulated schedule for Plaintiffs to file an amended complaint. On January 7, 2021, Plaintiffs filed their Amended Complaint, alleging substantially same claims and seeking the same relief. Defendants’ response to the Amended Complaint is due to be filed on or before March 8, 2021.

On August 6, 2019, two shareholder derivative suits, styled Janssen v. Camping World Holdings, Inc., et al., and Sandler v. Camping World Holdings, Inc. et al., were filed in the U.S. District Court of Delaware. Both actions name the Company as a nominal defendant, and name certain of the Company’s officers and directors, Crestview Partners II GP, L.P. and Crestview Advisors, L.L.C. as defendants, and allege: (i) violations of Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act for issuing proxy statements that allegedly omitted material information and allegedly included materially false and misleading financial statements; (ii) violations of Section 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, seeking contribution for causing the Company to issue allegedly false and misleading statements and/or allegedly omit material information in public statements and/or the Company’s filings concerning the Company’s financial performance, the effectiveness of internal controls to ensure accurate financial reporting, and the success and profitability of the integration and rollout of Gander Outdoors (now Gander RV) stores; (iii) breaches of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, abuse of control, and gross mismanagement for allegedly causing or allowing the Company to disseminate to Camping World

shareholders materially misleading and inaccurate information through the Company’s SEC filings; and (iv) breach of fiduciary duties for alleged insider selling and misappropriation of information (together, the “Janssen and Sandler Complaints”). The Janssen and Sandler Complaints seek restitutionary and/or compensatory damages, injunctive relief, disgorgement of all profits, benefits, and other compensation obtained by the certain of the Company’s officers and directors, attorneys’ fees and costs, and any other and further relief the court deems just and proper. On September 25, 2019, the Court granted the parties’ joint motion to consolidate the action and stay the action pending resolution of defendants’ motion to dismiss in the Ronge action. Following the Ronge court’s approval of settlement and entry of a final judgment and order dismissing the Ronge action with prejudice, the case remains stayed while the parties confer regarding the schedule for further proceedings in the action.

On May 28, 2020, Kamela Woodings (“Woodings”), in her representative capacity under the Private Attorney General Action (“PAGA”) filed a lawsuit styled Woodings v. FreedomRoads, LLC in Los Angeles County Superior Court against FreedomRoads, LLC in which she alleged that she and the putative class members often performed off-the-clock work for which they were not adequately compensated, and alleged the following causes of action: Violation of California Labor Code Sections 2698, et seq, (Private Attorney General Act of 2004), which includes allegations of (1) Failure to Pay Minimum Wage, (2) Failure to Pay Overtime, (3) Failure to Provide Meal Periods, (4) Failure to Provide Rest Breaks, (5) Failure to Timely Wage Upon Termination, (6) Failure to Timely Pay Wages During Employment, (7) Failure to Provide Complete And Accurate Wage Statements, and (8) Failure to Keep Accurate Business Records (the “PAGA Complaint”). The PAGA Complaint seeks civil penalties and attorneys’ fees and costs pursuant to California Labor Code Section 2699.

On June 25, 2020, Woodings filed a class action complaint styled Woodings v. FreedomRoads, LLC in Los Angeles County Superior Court against FreedomRoads, LLC in which Woodings alleged that she and the putative class members, all of FreedomRoads, LLC’s non-exempt California employees, were not appropriately compensated for all wages earned in the form of commission, and that she and the putative class members often performed off-the-clock work for which they were not adequately compensated. Woodings also alleged the following causes of action: (1) Violation of California Labor Code §§ 1194, 1197, and 1197.1 (unpaid minimum wages); (2) Violation of California Labor Code §§ 1198 (unpaid overtime); (3) Violation of California Labor Code § 226.7 (unpaid meal period premiums); (4) Violation of California Labor Code § 226.7 (unpaid rest period premiums); (5) Violation of California Labor Code §§ 201 and 202 (final wages not timely paid); (6) Violation of California Labor Code § 226(a) (non-compliant wage statements); (7) Fraud; (8) Negligent Misrepresentation; (9) Breach of Contract; (10) Accounting; and (11) Violation of California Business and Professions Code §§ 17200, et seq., with the following sub-claims of (a) Failure to Pay Overtime, (b) Failure to Provide Meal Periods, (c) Failure to Provide Rest Periods, (d) Failure to Pay Minimum Wages, (e) Failure to Timely Wage Upon Termination, (f) Failure to Timely Pay Wages During Employment, (g) Failure to Keep Complete and Accurate Payroll Records, and (h) Failure to Pay Commissions seeking certification as a class action, monetary damages including general unpaid wages, unpaid wages at overtime wage rates, premium wages for meal and rest breaks not provided, general and special damages, actual, consequential and incidental losses and damages, statutory wage penalties, punitive damages, pre-judgment interest, attorneys’ fees and costs, liquidated damages, and non-monetary damages including an accounting of FreedomRoads, LLC’s revenues, costs and profits in connection with each sale of goods made by the putative class members and the appointment of a receiver to receive, manage and distribute any funds disgorged from FreedomRoads, LLC as may be determined to have been wrongly acquired by FreedomRoads, LLC, and any other and further relief the court deems just and proper (“Class Action”).

On August 6, 2020, the Class Action was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. On August 27, 2020, Woodings amended the Class Action to add a second plaintiff, Jodi Dormaier, representing a Washington subclass of all non-exempt FreedomRoads, LLC employees, in an amended lawsuit styled Kamela Woodings and Jodi Dormaier v. FreedomRoads, LLC (the “Amended Class Action”). The Amended Class Action alleged the following additional causes of action: Violation of Wash. Rev. Code §§ 49.46.090 and 49.46.090 (failure to pay minimum wage); Violation of Wash. Rev. Code § 49.46.130 (failure to pay overtime); Violation of Wash. Rev. Code §§ 49.12.020 (failure to provide meal breaks); Violation of Wash. Rev. Code §§ 49.12.020 (failure to provide rest breaks); Violation of Wash. Rev. Code §§ 49.48.010 (payment of wages upon termination); and Violation of Wash. Rev. Code §§ 49.52.050 (willful exemplary damages) seeking class certification, damages and restitution for all unpaid wages and other injuries to Woodings,

Dormeir, and the putative class, pre-judgment interest, declaratory judgment establishing a violation of California Labor Code, California Business and Professional Code §§ 17200, et seq., Revised Code of Washington and other laws of the States of California and Washington, and public policy, compensatory damages including lost wages, earnings, liquidated damages, and other employee benefits together with interest, restitution, recovery of all money, actual damages and all other sums of money owed to Woodings, Dormaier, and the putative class members, together with interest, an accounting of FreedomRoads, LLC’s revenues, costs, and profits in connection with each sale of goods and services made by Woodings, Dormaier, and the putative class, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, and any other and further relief the court deems just and proper.

On January 18, 2021, the parties entered into a preliminary agreement to settle the Amended Class Action and the PAGA Complaint subject to the terms of a long-form settlement agreement to be executed by the parties and approval by the courts. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had a reserve totaling $4.0 million for estimated losses related to this matter.

No assurance can be made that these or similar suits will not result in a material financial exposure in excess of insurance coverage, which could have a material adverse effect upon the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.

From time to time, the Company is involved in other litigation arising in the normal course of business operations.

Employment Agreements

The Company has employment agreements with certain officers. The agreements include, among other things, an annual bonus based on adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and up to one year’s severance pay beyond termination date.