XML 15 R8.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.8
Variable Interest Entity ("VIE")
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Variable Interest Entity ("VIE")

2. Variable Interest Entity (“VIE”)

CONSOLIDATION OF VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

Under certain criteria as provided for in Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 810, “Consolidation,” the Company may consolidate a partially-owned affiliate. To determine whether to consolidate a partially-owned affiliate, the Company first determines if the entity is a variable interest entity (VIE). An entity is considered to be a VIE if it has one of the following characteristics: 1) the entity is thinly capitalized; 2) residual equity holders do not control the entity; 3) equity holders are shielded from economic losses or do not participate fully in the entity’s residual economics; or 4) the entity was established with non-substantive voting. If the entity meets one of these characteristics, the Company then determines if it is the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The party with the power to direct activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance and the potential to absorb benefits or losses that could be significant to the VIE is considered the primary beneficiary and consolidates the VIE.

Three Lions meets the definition of a variable interest entity as the total equity investment at risk in Three Lions is not sufficient to permit Three Lions to finance its activities without further subordinated financial support by any parties, including the equity holders. Management determined at the date of the Company’s third contribution that the entity was a variable interest entity primarily based on the current equity investment at risk in Three Lions totaling $9.0 million, which consists of three contributions by the Company of $3.1 million on March 18, 2013, $1.9 million on April 26, 2013, and $3.5 million on October 2, 2013, and founder contributions of $.5 million, compared to capital in excess of that amount deemed necessary to develop and produce content, market and air the first revenue-generating event in 2014. The Company’s contributions total $8.5 million and the founders’ contributions total $.5 million. As the Company did not have sufficient cash on hand to make its third contribution, the Company raised capital through an offering of its common stock to its shareholders.

The Company’s equity interest in Three Lions represents a variable interest in a VIE. Due to certain requirements under the LLC Agreement of Three Lions, the Company, through its voting rights associated with its LLC units, does not have the sole power to direct the activities of Three Lions that most significantly impact Three Lion’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses of Three Lions that could potentially be significant to Three Lions or the right to receive benefits from Three Lions that could potentially be significant to Three Lions. Specifically, the Company shares power with the founders who control the common units of Three Lions to approve budgets and business plans and make key business decisions all of which require unanimous consent from all the executive board members. As a result, the Company is not the primary beneficiary of Three Lions and thus does not consolidate it. However, the Company has significant influence over Three Lions and therefore, accounts for its ownership interest in Three Lions under the equity method of accounting.

Through March 31, 2014, the Company’s total contributions of $8.5 million are reduced by Simon’s absorption of its share of Three Lions’ operating losses from the period March 18, 2013, through March 31, 2014, which brings the carrying value of its Three Lions investment to $5.1 million. The Company’s contributions to Three Lions is greater than its share of Three Lions’ net assets. This excess represents equity method goodwill which totaled $3.4 million at March 31, 2014. Also, the Company was required to issue a cash collateralized bank letter of credit on April 12, 2013 in the amount of $.2 million with an expiration date of April 15, 2015, to guarantee payments on an office lease obtained by Three Lions. The Company’s investment, and guarantee, related to Three Lions totaled $8.7 million at March 31, 2014, representing the Company’s maximum exposures to loss.

A summary of the assets and liabilities as of March 31, 2014 and operating results for the three months then ended, related to Three Lions are as follows (in thousands):

 

Current assets:

  

Cash

   $ 2,853   

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

     1,114   
  

 

 

 

Total current assets

     3,967   

Non-current assets

     317   
  

 

 

 

Total assets

     4,284   

Accounts payable and other current liabilities

     1,357   
  

 

 

 

Total liabilities

     1,357   
  

 

 

 

Net assets

   $ 2,927   
  

 

 

 

 

Revenue

   $ —     

General and administrative expenses

     1,384   

Depreciation and amortization

     14   
  

 

 

 

Operating loss

     (1,398

Interest income

     1   
  

 

 

 

Net loss

   $ (1,397