Note 9 – Commitments and Contingencies

Litigations, Claims, and Assessments

The Company is involved in various disputes, claims, liens, and litigation matters arising out of the normal course of business. While the outcome of these disputes, claims, liens and litigation matters cannot be predicted with certainty, after consulting with legal counsel, management does not believe that the outcome of these matters will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

On March 23, 2020, an employee of Allied Esports filed a claim in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging various employment misconduct against Allied Esports, the Company and an officer of the Company in connection with a competition being hosted by Allied Esports. The claim alleges damages in excess of $3 million and suggests that the defendants could be subject to punitive damages. The Company has submitted such claim to its insurer and is awaiting confirmation of coverage (subject to coverage limits and retention).

Operating Leases

The Company’s aggregate rent expense incurred during the three months ended March 31, 2020 amounted to $594,244 of which $96,278 was capitalized into deferred production costs, $312,501 was included within in-person cost of revenues, and $185,465 was included within general administrative expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. The Company’s aggregate rent expense incurred during the three months ended March 31, 2019 amounted to $612,414, of which $107,518 was capitalized into deferred production costs, $312,501 was included within in-person cost of revenues, and $192,395 was included within general administrative expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

Investment Agreements

TV Azteca Agreement

In June 2019, the Company entered into an exclusive ten-year strategic investment and revenue sharing agreement (the “TV Azteca Agreement”) with TV Azteca, in order to expand the Allied Esports brand into Mexico. Pursuant to the terms of the TV Azteca Agreement, as amended, TV Azteca purchased 742,692 shares of AESE common stock for $5,000,000.

In connection with the TV Azteca Agreement, AESE will provide $7,000,000 to be used for various strategic initiatives including digital channel development, facility and flagship construction in Mexico, co-production of Spanish language content, platform localization, and marketing initiatives. The Company will be entitled to various revenues generated from the investment.

Currently, the Company has paid $5,000,000 with the rest of the payments due as follows:

Simon Agreement

In June 2019, the Company entered into an agreement (the “Simon Agreement”) with Simon Equity Development, LLC (“Simon”), a shareholder of the Company, pursuant to which Allied Esports would conduct a series of mobile esports gaming tournaments and events at selected Simon shopping malls and online called the Simon Cup, in each of 2019, 2020 and 2021, and would also develop esports and gaming venues at certain Simon shopping malls in the U.S.

In connection with the Simon Agreement, AESE placed $4,950,000 of cash into an escrow account to be utilized for various strategic initiatives including the build-out of branded esports facilities at Simon malls, and esports event programs. On October 22, 2019, cash in the amount of $1,300,000 was released from escrow in order to fund expenses incurred in connection with the 2019 Simon Cup. As of December 31, 2019, the balance in the escrow account was $3,650,000, which is shown as restricted cash on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet.

The Simon Agreement and the related Escrow Agreement, as amended, permitted Simon to request the return of any funds remaining in escrow if the parties did not agree on the 2020 spending plan by March 8, 2020. On March 18, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated in the United States, Simon notified the escrow agent that the parties had not agreed on a 2020 spending plan and requested the return of the remaining funds in the escrow account. The escrow agent returned the remaining $3,650,000 to Simon on March 26, 2020. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded $3,650,000 of stock-based compensation related to the return of cash held in escrow, which is reflected in stock-based compensation expense on the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed indefinitely the parties’ ability to plan and budget for the 2020 and 2021 esports programming and esports venues. The parties have agreed to extend the due date under the applicable agreements from March 8, 2020 to January 31, 2021, in order to continue to develop and budget for the annual esports program and esports venues in future years once the COVID-19 pandemic has ended.

Brookfield Partnership

On January 14, 2020, the Company issued 758,725 shares of its common stock to an investor (“Brookfield”) in exchange for $5,000,000 (the “Purchase Price”) pursuant to a Share Purchase Agreement with BPR Cumulus LLC (the “Brookfield Agreement”), an affiliate of Brookfield Property Partners. The Purchase Price was placed into escrow and is to be used by the Company or its subsidiaries to develop integrated esports experience venues at mutually agreed upon shopping malls owned and/or operated by Brookfield or any of its affiliates (each, an “Investor Mall”), that will include a dedicated gaming space and production capabilities to attract and to activate esports and other emerging live events (each, an “Esports Venue”). To that end, half of the Purchase Price will be released from escrow to the Company upon the execution of a written lease agreement between Brookfield and the Company for the first Esports Venue, and the other half will be released to the Company upon the execution of a written lease agreement between Brookfield and the Company for the second Esports Venue. Further, pursuant to the Brookfield Agreement, the Company must create, produce, and execute three (3) esports events during each calendar year 2020, 2021 and 2022 that will include the Company’s esports truck at one or more Investor Malls at mutually agreed times. The balance held in escrow as of March 31, 2020 is $5,000,000 and is reflected in restricted cash on the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.