(10)   Commitments and Contingencies

Guarantees

In connection with agreements for the sale of assets by the Company or its subsidiaries, the Company may retain liabilities that relate to events occurring prior to its sale, such as tax, environmental, litigation and employment matters. The Company generally indemnifies the purchaser in the event that a third party asserts a claim against the purchaser that relates to a liability retained by the Company. These types of indemnification obligations may extend for a number of years. The Company is unable to estimate the maximum potential liability for these types of indemnification obligations as the sale agreements may not specify a maximum amount and the amounts are dependent upon the outcome of future contingent events, the nature and likelihood of which cannot be determined at this time. Historically, the Company has not made any significant indemnification payments under such agreements and no amount has been accrued in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements with respect to these indemnification guarantees.

Employment Contracts

The Atlanta Braves and certain of their players (current and former), coaches and executives have entered into long-term employment contracts whereby such individuals' compensation is guaranteed. Amounts due under guaranteed

contracts as of September 30, 2021 aggregated $446 million, which is payable as follows: $189 million in 2021, $92 million in 2022, $62 million in 2023, $48 million in 2024 and $55 million thereafter. In addition to the foregoing amounts, certain players, coaches and executives may earn incentive compensation under the terms of their employment contracts.

SXM-7 Satellite

On December 13, 2020, Sirius XM Holdings launched its SXM-7 satellite and in-orbit testing of SXM-7 began on January 4, 2021. During in-orbit testing of SXM-7, events occurred which caused failures of certain SXM-7 payload units. The evaluation of SXM-7 concluded that the satellite will not function as intended, which Sirius XM Holdings considered to be a triggering event prompting the assessment as to whether the asset's carrying value of $220 million was recoverable. In determining recoverability of SXM-7, Sirius XM Holdings compared the asset's carrying value to the undiscounted cash flows derived from the satellite. SXM-7 was determined to be a total loss and therefore, the carrying value of the satellite is not recoverable and an impairment charge of $220 million was recorded to impairment, restructuring and acquisition costs, net of recoveries in the condensed consolidated statement of operations during the nine months ended September 30, 2021. SXM-7 remains in-orbit at its assigned orbital location, but is not being used to provide satellite radio service.

Sirius XM Holdings procured insurance for SXM-7 to cover the risks associated with the satellite's launch and first year of in-orbit operation. The aggregate coverage under the insurance policies with respect to SXM-7 is $225 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, Sirius XM Holdings collected $225 million of insurance recoveries. Of this amount, $80 million and $220 million have been recorded as a reduction to impairment, restructuring and acquisition costs, net of recoveries during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, respectively. The remaining $5 million has been recorded in other, net in the condensed consolidated statements of operations during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021.

The SXM-8 satellite was successfully launched into a geostationary orbit on June 6, 2021 and was placed into service on September 8, 2021 following the completion of in-orbit testing. The SXM-8 satellite replaced the XM-3 satellite, which remains available as an in-orbit spare, along with XM-5.

Potential Impact of COVID-19

The business operations of Formula 1, the Atlanta Braves and Live Nation initially were largely, if not completely, suspended at the outset of COVID-19, and continue to be impacted. These businesses may be required to hold a smaller number of events than originally planned or may not be able to reschedule previously canceled or postponed events. The 2021 regular baseball season was comprised of approximately 160 games. Formula 1 originally scheduled 23 Events in 2021, although after a number of Events were cancelled and/or replaced, 22 Events are expected to take place. Braves Holdings and Formula 1 have had limitations on the number of fans in attendance at certain games and Events in 2021, thereby reducing revenue associated with fan attendance. Starting in the third quarter of 2021, Live Nation saw a meaningful restart of its operations, with growth in ticket sales, new sponsor partners and the resumption of shows, primarily in the United States and United Kingdom. It is unclear, as restrictions are lifted in many jurisdictions, whether and to what extent COVID-19 concerns will continue to impact the use of and/or demand for the entertainment, events and services provided by these businesses and demand for sponsorship and advertising assets. If these businesses continue to face cancelled events, closed venues and reduced attendance, the impact may substantially decrease our revenue. Due to the revenue reductions caused by COVID-19 to date, these businesses have looked to reduce expenses, but should such impacts continue, the businesses may not be able to reduce expenses to the same degree as any decline in revenue, which may adversely affect our results of operations and cash flow.

Restructuring of Sirius XM Holdings’ leases

During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, Sirius XM Holdings evaluated its office space needs and, as a result of such analysis, surrendered certain office leases, primarily in New York, New York and Oakland, California.  Sirius XM Holdings assessed the recoverability of the carrying value of the operating lease right of use assets related to these locations. Based on that assessment, Sirius XM Holdings recorded impairments aggregating $18 million to reduce the carrying value of the assets to their fair values. Additionally, Sirius XM Holdings accrued expenses of $6 million for which it will not recognize any future economic benefits and wrote off leasehold improvements of $1 million. The fair values of the assets were determined using a discounted cash flow model based on Sirius XM Holdings management's assumptions regarding the ability to sublease the locations and the remaining term of the leases. The total charge of $25 million was recorded to impairment, restructuring and acquisition costs, net of recoveries in the condensed consolidated statement of operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2021.

Litigation

The Company has contingent liabilities related to legal and tax proceedings and other matters arising in the ordinary course of business. Although it is reasonably possible the Company may incur losses upon conclusion of such matters, an estimate of any loss or range of loss cannot be made. In the opinion of management, it is expected that amounts, if any, which may be required to satisfy such contingencies will not be material in relation to the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements.

Pre-1972 Sound Recording Litigation.  On October 2, 2014, Flo & Eddie Inc. filed a class action suit against Pandora in the federal district court for the Central District of California. The complaint alleges a violation of California Civil Code Section 980, unfair competition, misappropriation and conversion in connection with the public performance of sound recordings recorded prior to February 15, 1972 (“pre-1972 recordings”). On December 19, 2014, Pandora filed a motion to strike the complaint pursuant to California’s Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (“anti-SLAPP”) statute, which following denial of Pandora’s motion was appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In March 2017, the Ninth Circuit requested certification to the California Supreme Court on the substantive legal questions. The California Supreme Court accepted certification. In May 2019, the California Supreme Court issued an order dismissing consideration of the certified questions on the basis that, following the enactment of the Orrin G. Hatch-Bob Goodlatte Music Modernization Act, Pub. L. No. 115-264, 132 Stat. 3676 (2018) (the “MMA”), resolution of the questions posed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals was no longer “necessary to . . . settle an important question of law.”

The MMA grants a potential federal preemption defense to the claims asserted in the aforementioned lawsuits. In July 2019, Pandora took steps to avail itself of this preemption defense, including making the required payments under the MMA for certain of its uses of pre-1972 recordings. Based on the federal preemption contained in the MMA (along with other considerations), Pandora asked the Ninth Circuit to order the dismissal of the Flo & Eddie, Inc. v. Pandora Media, Inc. case. On October 17, 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a memorandum disposition concluding that the question of whether the MMA preempts Flo and Eddie's claims challenging Pandora's performance of pre-1972 recordings "depends on various unanswered factual questions" and remanded the case to the District Court for further proceedings.

In October 2020, the District Court denied Pandora’s renewed motion to dismiss the case under California’s anti-SLAPP statute, finding the case no longer qualified for anti-SLAPP due to intervening changes in the law, and denied Pandora’s renewed attempt to end the case.  Alternatively, the District Court ruled that the preemption defense likely did not apply to Flo & Eddie’s claims, in part because the District Court believed that the MMA did not apply retroactively.  Pandora promptly appealed the District Court’s decision to the Ninth Circuit, and moved to stay appellate briefing pending the appeal of a related case against Sirius XM.  On January 13, 2021, the Ninth Circuit issued an order granting the stay of appellate proceedings pending the resolution of a related case against Sirius XM.

On August 23, 2021, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an Opinion in a related case, Flo & Eddie Inc. v. Sirius XM Radio Inc. The related case also concerned a class action suit brought by Flo & Eddie Inc. regarding the public performance of pre-1972 recordings under California law.  Relying on California’s copyright statute, Flo & Eddie argued that California law gave it the “exclusive ownership” of its pre-1972 songs, including the right of public performance. The Ninth Circuit reversed the District Court’s grant of partial summary judgment to Flo & Eddie Inc. The Ninth Circuit held that the District Court in this related case erred in concluding that “exclusive ownership” under California’s copyright statute included the right of public performance. The Ninth Circuit remanded the case for entry of judgment consistent with the terms of the parties’ contingent settlement agreement, and on October 6, 2021, the parties to the related case stipulated to its dismissal with prejudice.

Following issuance of the Flo & Eddie Inc. v. Sirius XM Radio Inc. opinion, on September 3, 2021, the Ninth Circuit lifted the stay of appellate proceedings in Flo & Eddie, Inc. v. Pandora Media, LLC.  The Flo & Eddie Inc. v. Sirius XM Radio Inc. decision is precedential in the Ninth Circuit, and therefore Sirius XM Holdings believes substantially narrows the claims that Flo & Eddie may continue to assert against Pandora.

Sirius XM Holdings believes it has substantial defenses to the claims asserted in this action, and intends to defend this action vigorously.

Exchange Agreement with Chairman

On July 28, 2021, the Company entered into an exchange agreement, among the Company, John C. Malone (the Chairman of the Board of the Company), and a revocable trust of which Mr. Malone is the sole trustee and beneficiary (the “JM Trust”) (the “Exchange Agreement”), whereby, among other things, Mr. Malone agreed to an arrangement under which his aggregate voting power in the Company would not exceed 49% (the “Target Voting Power”) plus 0.5% (under certain circumstances).

The Exchange Agreement provides for exchanges by the Company and Mr. Malone or the JM Trust of shares of Series B Liberty SiriusXM common stock, Series B Liberty Braves common stock or Series B Liberty Formula One common stock for shares of Series C Liberty SiriusXM common stock, Series C Liberty Braves common stock or Series C Liberty Formula One common stock, respectively, in connection with certain events, including (i) any event that would result in a reduction in the outstanding votes of any of the Company’s tracking stock groups (each, a “Group”) or an increase of Mr. Malone’s beneficially-owned voting power in any Group (other than a Voting Power Exchange (as defined below)) (an “Accretive Event”), in each case, such that Mr. Malone’s voting power with respect to such Group would exceed the Target Voting Power plus 0.5%, (ii) from and after the occurrence of any Accretive Event, any event that would result in an increase in the outstanding votes of any Group or a decrease of Mr. Malone’s beneficially-owned voting power in any Group (a “Dilutive Event”), in each case, such that Mr. Malone’s voting power with respect to such Group falls below the Target Voting Power less 0.5%, or (iii) on a quarterly basis or in connection with any annual or special meeting of stockholders, upon request by Mr. Malone or the JM Trust, if Mr. Malone’s aggregate voting power in the Company is less than the Target Voting Power and would continue to be less than the Target Voting Power upon completion of such exchange (a "Voting Power Exchange").  Additionally, the Exchange Agreement contains certain provisions with respect to fundamental events at the Company, meaning any combination, consolidation, merger, exchange offer, split-off, spin-off, rights offering or dividend, in each case, as a result of which holders of Series B common stock of one or more Groups are entitled to receive securities of the Company, securities of another person, property or cash, or a combination thereof.

In connection with an Accretive Event with respect to a Group, Mr. Malone or the JM Trust will be required to exchange with the Company shares of Series B common stock of such Group (“Exchanged Group Series B Shares”) for an equal number of shares of Series C common stock of the same Group so as to maintain Mr. Malone’s voting power with respect to such Group as close as possible to, without exceeding, the Target Voting Power, on the terms and subject

to the conditions of the Exchange Agreement. In connection with a Dilutive Event with respect to a Group, Mr. Malone and the JM Trust may exchange with the Company shares of Series C common stock of a Group for an equal number of shares of Series B common stock of the same Group equal to the lesser of (i) the number of shares of Series B common stock of the same Group which would maintain Mr. Malone’s voting power with respect to such Group as close as possible to, without exceeding, the Target Voting Power and (ii) the number of Exchanged Group Series B Shares at such time, on the terms and subject to the conditions of the Exchange Agreement. In a Voting Power Exchange, the Company will be required to exchange with Mr. Malone and the JM Trust shares of Series B common stock of any Group on a one-for-one basis for shares of Series C common stock of the same Group, with the maximum number of shares of Series B common stock to be delivered to Mr. Malone or the JM Trust equal to the number of Exchanged Group Series B Shares at such time that may be delivered without resulting in Mr. Malone’s aggregate voting power in the Company exceeding the Target Voting Power, on the terms and subject to the conditions of the Exchange Agreement.

As of September 30, 2021, there have been no exchanges of the Company’s shares pursuant to the Exchange Agreement.