Âé¶¹app

 

Filed by Âé¶¹app pursuant to
Rule 425 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended

and deemed filed pursuant to Rule 14a-12 of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Subject Company: Âé¶¹app

Commission File No.: 001-35707

 

Subject Company: Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc.

Commission File No.: 333-268922

 

As previously disclosed, Âé¶¹app Media Corporation (“Âé¶¹app Media”) intends to complete a split-off (the “Split-Off”) of Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (“SplitCo”), which will hold immediately prior to the Split-Off all of the businesses, assets and liabilities currently attributed to Âé¶¹app Media’s Braves Group, including 100% of the ownership and voting interests in Braves Holdings, LLC, which is the owner of the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball Club, and certain assets and liabilities associated with the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball Club’s stadium and Braves Holdings’ mixed use development project and corporate cash. The Split-Off will be accomplished through the redemption by Âé¶¹app Media of the existing Âé¶¹app Braves common stock in exchange for common stock of SplitCo. In addition, it is intended that (i) in connection with the Split-Off, the intergroup interests in the Braves Group attributed to the Âé¶¹app SiriusXM Group and the Formula One Group remaining immediately prior to the Split-Off will be settled and extinguished through the attribution from the Braves Group to the Âé¶¹app SiriusXM Group and the Formula One Group, respectively, of shares of SplitCo common stock, and (ii) thereafter, (A) the shares of SplitCo common stock attributed to the Âé¶¹app SiriusXM Group will be delivered to and exchanged with one or more third party lenders for certain debt obligations of Âé¶¹app Media attributed to the Âé¶¹app SiriusXM Group at the time of such exchange that are held by such third party lenders (the “Âé¶¹app Media Exchange”), and (B) the shares of SplitCo common stock attributed to the Formula One Group will be distributed on a pro rata basis to the holders of Âé¶¹app Formula One common stock that hold such Âé¶¹app Formula One common stock on the record date (the “Formula One Distribution”). The Split-Off and related transactions are described in the registration statement on Form S-4 filed by SplitCo with the SEC on December 21, 2022, as amended on February 13, 2023, and the registration statement on Form S-4 filed by Âé¶¹app Media with the SEC on December 21, 2022, as amended on February 13, 2023 (such registration statements, as amended, the “Registration Statements”).

 

In connection with the Split-Off, Âé¶¹app Media submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) a request for a private letter ruling to the effect that the Split-Off and the Formula One Distribution, taken together with the contribution of certain assets and liabilities by Âé¶¹app Media to SplitCo (collectively, the “Split-Off Transactions”), will qualify as a tax-free transaction under Section 355, Section 368(a)(1)(D) and related provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) to Âé¶¹app Media and to holders of its Âé¶¹app Braves common stock and Âé¶¹app Formula One common stock (except with respect to the receipt of any cash in lieu of fractional shares) (the “Ruling”). The requested Ruling was premised on, among other things, that Âé¶¹app Media’s ownership and operation of the business conducted through its subsidiary, Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (the “SiriusXM business”), would satisfy the active trade or business requirement under Section 355 of the Code (the “ATB Requirement”). The receipt of this Ruling is a waivable condition to the completion of the Split-Off.

 

By letter dated March 15, 2023, the IRS informed Âé¶¹app Media that, in the general interest of sound tax administration, the IRS was declining to provide the requested ruling until certain issues were resolved under its open regulation project addressing certain requirements under Section 355 of the Code, including the ATB Requirement.

 

 

 

 

Subsequent to receiving notice of the IRS’s decision with respect to the ruling request, Âé¶¹app Media confirmed with its tax counsel, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, LLP (“Skadden”), that the decision by the IRS not to provide a ruling at this time did not affect Skadden’s view that, under current law, and subject to certain factual representations and assumptions, the ATB Requirement will be satisfied with respect to Âé¶¹app Media in connection with the Split-Off Transactions by Âé¶¹app Media’s ownership and operation of the SiriusXM business. Skadden further confirmed to Âé¶¹app Media that, under current law, and subject to certain factual representations and assumptions, the IRS’s decision would not affect Skadden’s ability to render an opinion at closing of the Split-Off, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Âé¶¹app Media, to the effect that for U.S. federal income tax purposes, (i) the Split-Off Transactions, will qualify as a tax-free transaction under Section 355, Section 368(a)(1)(D) and related provisions of the Code, (ii) no income, gain, or loss will be recognized by Âé¶¹app Media upon (A) the receipt of SplitCo common stock in the contribution, (B) the distribution of SplitCo common stock pursuant to the Split-Off Transactions, or (C) the transfer of SplitCo common stock in exchange for debt obligations of Âé¶¹app Media pursuant to the Âé¶¹app Media Exchange (except with respect to certain items of income or deduction attributable to such debt obligations exchanged), and (iii) no gain or loss will be recognized by, and no amount will be included in the income of, holders of Âé¶¹app Braves common stock or Âé¶¹app Formula One common stock upon the receipt of shares of SplitCo common stock in the Split-Off Transactions (except with respect to the receipt of any cash in lieu of fractional shares) (the “Tax Opinion”). The receipt of the Tax Opinion is a non-waivable condition to the Split-Off.

 

As a result of these confirmations, Âé¶¹app Media has determined that it will no longer condition the Split-Off on the receipt of the Ruling and intends to proceed with its plan to complete the Split-Off Transactions, subject to the satisfaction of the remaining conditions described in the Registration Statements (including the receipt of the Tax Opinion).

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This communication includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including certain statements relating to the proposed Split-Off Transactions, proposed timing of the transactions, the listing or quotation of shares of SplitCo’s common stock following the proposed transactions and other matters that are not historical facts. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of federal and state securities laws. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by phrases such as “possible,” “potential,” “intends” or “expects” or other words or phrases of similar import or future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “may,” “might,” “should,” “would,” “could,” or similar variations. These forward-looking statements involve many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including, without limitation, the satisfaction of conditions to the proposed Split-Off and the ability of Âé¶¹app Media to realize the expected benefits of the Split-Off Transactions. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this communication, and Âé¶¹app Media expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in Âé¶¹app Media’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 Âé¶¹app Media, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as such risk factors may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports Âé¶¹app Media subsequently files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), for additional information about Âé¶¹app Media and about the risks and uncertainties related to Âé¶¹app Media’s business which may affect the statements made in this communication.

 

Additional Information

 

Nothing in this communication shall constitute a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell shares of common stock of Âé¶¹app Media or SplitCo. The proposed offer and issuance of shares of common stock of SplitCo in the Split-Off will be made only pursuant to an effective registration statement. Âé¶¹app Media stockholders and other investors are urged to read the registration statements, including the joint proxy statement/prospectus forming a part thereof regarding the Split-Off, and any other relevant documents filed as exhibits therewith (a preliminary filing of which has been made with the SEC), as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents, because they will contain important information about the Split-Off, the Âé¶¹app Media Exchange and the Formula One Distribution. Copies of these SEC filings are available free of charge at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of the filings together with the materials incorporated by reference therein will also be available, without charge, by directing a request to Âé¶¹app, 12300 Âé¶¹app Boulevard, Englewood, Colorado 80112, Attention: Investor Relations, Telephone: (877) 772-1518.

 

Participants in a Solicitation

 

Âé¶¹app Media and SplitCo and their respective directors and executive officers and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of proposals relating to the Split-Off. Information regarding the directors and executive officers of Âé¶¹app Media and SplitCo and other participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their respective direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be available in the proxy materials with respect to the Split-Off to be filed with the SEC when they become available. Investors should read the joint proxy statement/prospectus carefully when it becomes available before making any voting or investment decisions. Free copies of these proxy materials from Âé¶¹app Media may be obtained as indicated above.