Exhibit 10.1
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
THIS EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT (“
Agreement ”) is entered into by and between
Eric Korman (“ Executive ”) and
Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“ Company ”), as of the 27
th day of July, 2009 (the “
Effective Date ”).
WHEREAS , the Company and Executive are parties to that
certain Employment Agreement dated as of April 10, 2006, (the
“ Prior Employment Agreement
”);
WHEREAS , the Company desires to establish its right to
the services of Executive for a period beginning on the Effective
Date, in the capacity described below, on the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth, and Executive is willing to accept such
employment on such terms and conditions.
NOW, THEREFORE
, in consideration of the mutual
agreements hereinafter set forth, Executive and the Company have
agreed and do hereby agree as follows:
1A.
EMPLOYMENT
. During the Term (as defined
below), the Company shall employ Executive, and Executive shall be
employed, as Executive Vice President of the Company and President
of Ticketmaster. During Executive’s employment with the
Company, Executive shall do and perform all services and acts
necessary or advisable to fulfill the duties and responsibilities
as are commensurate and consistent with Executive’s position
and shall render such services on the terms set forth
herein. Executive shall do and perform all services and acts
necessary or advisable to fulfill the duties and responsibilities
as are commensurate and consistent with Executive’s position
and shall render such services on the terms set forth herein.
Executive shall have the duties, responsibilities and authority
commensurate with these positions and such other duties,
responsibilities and authority as set forth herein and as
reasonably assigned by the Reporting Officer (as defined
below). During Executive’s employment with the Company,
Executive shall report directly to the Chief Executive Officer of
the Company, or, in the event the proposed merger (the “
Merger ”) contemplated by the Agreement and
Plan of Merger, among the Company, Live Nation, Inc. and
Merger Sub is consummated after which there is not a Chief
Executive Officer of the Company, directly to the Chief Executive
Officer and/or the Executive Chairman of the ultimate parent
company of the Company or its successor (each, the “
Reporting Officer ”) as determined by the
Company. Executive agrees to devote all of Executive’s
working time, attention and efforts to the Company and to perform
the duties of Executive’s position in accordance with the
Company’s policies of which Executive is aware as in effect
from time to time.
Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary herein, Executive may (i) serve as a director or
member of a committee or organization involving no actual or
potential conflict of interest with the Company and its
subsidiaries and affiliates; (ii) deliver lectures and fulfill
speaking engagements; (iii) engage in charitable and community
activities; and (iv) invest his personal assets in such form
or manner that will not violate this Agreement or require services
on the part of Executive in the operation or affairs of the
companies in which those investments are made; provided the
activities described in clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or
(iv) do not materially affect or interfere with the
performance of Executive’s duties and obligations to the
Company or conflict with such policies as may be adopted from time
to time by the Company or the Board of Directors of the Company
(the “ Board ”). Executive’s
principal place of employment shall be the Company’s offices
located in the County of Los Angeles, CA.
2A.
TERM . The term of this Agreement (the “
Term ”) shall begin on the Effective Date and
shall end on the third (3 rd )
anniversary of the Effective Date subject to earlier termination in
accordance with the provisions of Section 1 of the Standard
Terms and Conditions attached hereto. Notwithstanding the
termination of the Term, certain terms and conditions herein may
specify a greater period of effectiveness.
3A.
COMPENSATION
.
(a)
BASE
SALARY . Effective
July 17 th and during the Term,
Executive shall be paid an annual base salary of $750,000 (the
“ Base
Salary ”), payable in equal
biweekly installments (or, if different, in accordance with the
Company’s payroll practice as in effect from time to
time).
For all purposes under this
Agreement, the term “Base Salary” shall refer to the
Base Salary as in effect from time to time. Executive shall
also be paid retroactive salary in an amount equal to $220,961.47
not later than thirty (30) days following the Effective Date,
subject to applicable withholdings.
(b)
BONUS . Commencing as of the
Effective Date and continuing through the Term, Executive shall be
eligible to receive discretionary annual bonuses, with a target
annual bonus of 100% of Base Salary.
(c)
GRANT OF STOCK
OPTIONS . On April 29,
2009, Executive was granted an option to acquire 300,000 shares of
common stock of the Company (“ Company Common Stock ”) at a per share
exercise price of $5.33, which was equal to the Fair Market Value
(as defined in the Ticketmaster 2008 Stock and Annual Incentive
Plan (the “ Company
Incentive Plan ”)) of the Company
Common Stock on the date of grant (the “
Option Award
”).
The Option Award shall vest annually in equal installments over
four years (except as otherwise provided in this Agreement) and
shall be subject to the terms and conditions of the Company
Incentive Plan and this Agreement.
(d)
ADDITIONAL
EQUITY AWARDS . Executive shall be
eligible for annual equity awards during the Term at the discretion
of the Reporting Officer and the Board (or an appropriate committee
thereof).
(e)
BENEFITS . Commencing on the Effective Date and
continuing during the Term through the date of termination of
Executive’s employment with the Company for any reason,
Executive shall be entitled to participate in any welfare, health,
life insurance, pension, perquisite and fringe benefit programs as
may be adopted from time to time by the Company on the same basis
as provided to similarly situated Executives of the Company.
Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Executive shall
be entitled to the following benefits:
(i)
Reimbursement
for Business Expenses . During the Term, the
Company shall reimburse Executive for all reasonable, necessary and
documented expenses incurred by Executive in performing
Executive’s duties for the Company, on the same basis as
similarly situated Executives and in accordance with the
Company’s policies as in effect from time to
time.
(ii)
Vacation
. During
the Term, Executive shall be entitled to paid vacation each year,
in accordance with the plans, policies, programs and practices of
the Company applicable to similarly situated Executives of the
Company generally.
4A.
NOTICES . All notices and other communications
under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given by
first-class mail, certified or registered with return receipt
requested, or by hand delivery, or by overnight delivery by a
nationally recognized carrier, in each case to the applicable
address set forth below, and any such notice is deemed effectively
given when received by the recipient (or if receipt is refused by
the recipient, when so refused):
|
If to the Company:
|
|
Ticketmaster Entertainment, Inc.
|
|
|
|
8800 Sunset Boulevard
|
|
|
|
West Hollywood, CA 90069
|
|
|
|
Attention: General Counsel
|
|
|
|
|
|
If to the Executive:
|
|
Eric Korman
|
|
|
|
822 North Norman Place
|
|
|
|
Los Angles, CA 90049
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice)
to:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrew Gaines
|
|
|
|
Weil, Gotshal & Manges
|
|
|
|
767 Fifth Avenue
|
|
|
|
New York, NY 10153
|
2
Either party may change such party’s
address for notices by notice duly given pursuant
hereto.
5A.
GOVERNING LAW;
JURISDICTION . This
Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties
hereto (including, without limitation, any dispute arising out of
or related to this Agreement) shall be governed by and construed
under and in accordance with the internal laws of the State of
California without reference to its principles of conflicts of
laws. Any dispute between the parties hereto arising out of
or related to this Agreement will be heard and determined before an
appropriate federal court located in the State of California in Los
Angeles County, or, if not maintainable therein, then in an
appropriate California state court located in Los Angeles County,
and each party hereto submits itself and its property to the
exclusive jurisdiction of the foregoing courts with respect to such
disputes.
Each party hereto (i) agrees
that service of process may be made by mailing a copy of any
relevant document to the address of the party set forth above,
(ii) waives to the fullest extent permitted by law any
objection which it may now or hereafter have to the courts referred
to above on the grounds of inconvenient forum or otherwise as
regards any dispute between the parties hereto arising out of or
related to this Agreement, (iii) waives to the fullest extent
permitted by law any objection which it may now or hereafter have
to the laying of venue in the courts referred to above as regards
any dispute between the parties hereto arising out of or related to
this Agreement, and (iv) agrees that a judgment or order of
any court referred to above in connection with any dispute between
the parties hereto arising out of or related to this Agreement is
conclusive and binding on it and may be enforced against it in the
courts of any other jurisdiction.
6A.
COUNTERPARTS
. This Agreement may be
executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to
be an original but all of which together will constitute one and
the same instrument.
7A.
STANDARD TERMS AND
CONDITIONS .
Executive expressly understands and acknowledges that the Standard
Terms and Conditions attached hereto are incorporated herein by
reference, deemed a part of this Agreement and are binding and
enforceable provisions of this Agreement. References to
“this Agreement” or the use of the term
“hereof” shall refer to this Agreement and the Standard
Terms and Conditions attached hereto, taken as a whole.
8A.
SECTION 409A
COMPLIANCE .
(a)
To the extent applicable, it is
intended that the compensation arrangements under this Agreement be
in full compliance with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue
Code, as amended, and the rules and regulations issued
thereunder (“ Section 409A ”) (it
being understood that certain compensation arrangements under this
Agreement are intended not to be subject to
Section 409A). It is intended that any amounts
payable under this Agreement and the Company’s and
Executive’s exercise of authority or discretion hereunder
shall comply with and avoid the imputation of any tax, penalty or
interest under Section 409A. This Agreement shall be
construed and interpreted consistent with that intent. If,
however, any such benefit or payment is deemed to not comply with
Section 409A, the Company and the Executive agree to
renegotiate in good faith any such benefit or payment (including,
without limitation, as to the timing of any severance payments
payable hereof) so that either (i) Section 409A will not
apply or (ii) compliance with Section 409A will be
achieved; provided, however, that any resulting renegotiated terms
shall result in no additional cost to the Company. In no
event shall the Company be required to pay Executive any
“gross-up” or other payment with respect to any taxes
or penalties imposed under Section 409A with respect to any
benefit paid to Executive under this Agreement. Executive
acknowledges that he has been advised to obtain independent legal,
tax or other counsel in connection with
Section 409A.
(b)
With regard to any provision herein
that provides for reimbursement of costs and expenses or in-kind
benefits, except as permitted by Section 409A, all such
payments shall be made on or before the last day of calendar year
following the calendar year in which the expense occurred.
Such reimbursement obligations pursuant to this Agreement are not
subject to liquidation or exchange for
3
another benefit and the amount of such benefits
that Executive receives in one taxable year shall not affect the
amount of such benefits that Executive receives in any other
taxable year.
(c)
A termination of employment shall
not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of
this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits
that constitute non-qualified deferred compensation subject to
Section 409A upon or following a termination of employment
unless such termination is also a “separation from
service” within the meaning of Section 409A, and for
purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a
“resignation,” “termination,”
“terminate,” “termination of employment” or
like terms shall mean separation from service.
(d)
Whenever a payment under this
Agreement specifies a payment period with reference to a number of
days (e.g., “payment shall be made within thirty (30) days
following the date of termination”), the actual date of
payment within the specified period shall be within the sole
discretion of the Company.
(e)
If under this Agreement, an amount
is paid in two or more installments, for purposes of
Section 409A, each installment shall be treated as a separate
payment.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this
Agreement to be executed and delivered by its duly authorized
officer and Executive has executed and delivered this Agreement as
of the date first set forth above.
|
|
TICKETMASTER ENTERTAINMENT, INC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/s/ CHRIS RILEY
|
|
|
By: CHRIS RILEY
|
|
|
Title: SVP
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
/S/ ERIC KORMAN
|
|
|
ERIC KORMAN
|
4
STANDARD TERMS AND
CONDITIONS
1.
TERMINATION OF
EXECUTIVE’S EMPLOYMENT .
(a)
DEATH . In the event
Executive’s employment is terminated by reason of
Executive’s death, the Company shall pay Executive’s
designated beneficiary or beneficiaries, within thirty (30) days of
Executive’s death in a lump sum in cash,
(i) Executive’s Base Salary through the end of the month
in which death occurs, and (ii) any other Accrued Obligations
(as defined in Section 1(f) below) (without duplication
of any amount payable pursuant to clause (i)).
(b)
DISABILITY
.
Executive’s employment may be terminated by the Company for
Disability (as defined below) if: (i) as a result of
Executive’s medically-determined incapacity due to physical
or mental illness (“ Disability ”), Executive is unable
to perform substantially the duties pertaining to his employment
with or without reasonable accommodation for a period of six
(6) consecutive months and, (ii) after thirty (30) days
written notice is provided to Executive by the Company (in
accordance with Section 4A hereof), Executive continues to be
unable to perform substantially such duties. During any
period prior to such termination during which Executive is unable
to perform substantially such duties due to Disability, the Company
shall continue to pay Executive’s Base Salary at the rate in
effect at the commencement of such period of Disability, offset by
any amounts payable to Executive under any disability insurance
plan or policy provided by the Company, and the Company shall
continue to provide all other benefits to Executive
hereunder. Upon termination of Executive’s employment
due to Disability, the Company shall pay Executive within thirty
(30) days of such termination (y) Executive’s Base
Salary through the end of the month in which termination occurs in
a lump sum in cash, offset by any amounts payable to Executive
under any disability insurance plan or policy provided by the
Company; and (z) any other Accrued Obligations (without
duplication of any amount payable pursuant to clause
(y)).
(c)
TERMINATION
FOR CAUSE OR WITHOUT GOOD REASON . The Company may
terminate Executive’s employment for Cause (as defined below)
only by written notice to Executive and pursuant to the terms of
this Section 1(c). Upon the termination of
Executive’s employment by the Company for Cause, or by
Executive without Good Reason, the Company shall have no further
obligation hereunder, except for the payment of any Accrued
Obligations, which shall be paid within thirty (30) days of such
termination.
As used herein,
“ Cause
” shall
consist only of: (i) the plea of guilty or nolo
contendere to, or conviction for, the commission of a felony
offense by Executive; provided , however , that after
indictment, the Company may suspend Executive from the rendition of
services, but without limiting or modifying in any other way the
Company’s obligations under this Agreement; provided ,
further , that Executive’s employment shall be
immediately reinstated if the indictment is dismissed or otherwise
dropped and there are not otherwise grounds to terminate
Executive’s employment for Cause; (ii) a material breach
by Executive of any of the material covenants made by Executive in
Section 2 hereof that causes material harm to the Company;
provided , however , that in the event such material
breach and material harm are curable, Executive shall have failed
to remedy such material breach and cured such material harm within
ten (10) business days after written demand for cure by the
Company has been delivered to Executive, which demand specifically
identifies the manner in which the Company believes that Executive
has materially breached any of the material covenants made by
Executive in Section 2 hereof and the nature of the resulting
harm; (iii) the willful or gross neglect by Executive of the
material duties required by this Agreement following receipt of
written notice from the Reporting Officer which specifically
identifies the nature of such willful or gross neglect and a
reasonable opportunity to cure of no less than ten
(10) business days after Executive has received such written
notice, and (iv) a material breach by Executive of a fiduciary
duty owed to the Company, or a willful and material violation by
Executive of any Company policy pertaining to ethics or conflicts
of interest, but in each case only if the Reporting Officer
determines, in the Reporting Officer’s good faith discretion,
that such material breach or violation undermines the Reporting
Officer’s confidence in Executive’s fitness to continue
in Executive’s position, taking into account any remedial
action taken by Executive.
5
(d)
TERMINATION BY
THE COMPANY OTHER THAN FOR DEATH, DISABILITY OR CAUSE OR
RESIGNATION BY EXECUTIVE FOR GOOD REASON .
(i)
Consequence of
a Qualifying Termination . The Company may
terminate Executive’s employment without Cause, and Executive
may terminate his employment for Good Reason, only by providing
written notice to the other party and pursuant to the terms of this
Section 1(d). If Executive’s employment hereunder
is terminated by the Company at any time during the time period
commencing on the Effective Date and ending on the expiration of
the Term for any reason other than Executive’s death,
Disability or Cause, or if Executive terminates his employment
hereunder at any time during such time period for Good Reason (any
such termination, a “ Qualifying Termination ”), then:
(A)
commencing on the Company’s first regular payroll date after
the sixtieth (60 th ) day following the date of
the Qualifying Termination, the Company shall continue to pay
Executive the Base Salary in accordance with the Company’s
regular payroll practice for a period of eighteen (18) months
following the date of the Qualifying Termination at the rate in
effect immediately prior to the Qualifying Termination;
(B)
the Company shall pay Executive within thirty (30) days of the date
of the Qualifying Termination in a lump sum in cash any Accrued
Obligations;
(C)
any portion of the Option Award that is outstanding and unvested at
the date of such Qualifying Termination shall vest in full as of
the date of the Qualifying Termination and the Option Award shall
remain exercisable for the lesser of (x) 18 months following
such Qualifying Termination, or (y) the scheduled expiration
date of the Option Award; and
(D) the
Company shall pay Executive, if earned, a pro rata annual bonus
based on actual performance during the year in which the Qualifying
Termination occurred and based on the number of days of
Executive’s employment during such year relative to 365 days,
payable at such time as annual bonuses are paid to Company
employees generally.
(iii)
Section 409A.
If any payment, compensation
or other benefit provided to the Executive in connection with his
employment termination is determined, in whole or in part, to
constitute “nonqualified deferred compensation” within
the meaning of Section 409A and the Executive is a specified
employee as defined in Section 409A(2)(B)(i), no part of such
payment, compensation or benefits shall be paid or provided before
the day that is six (6) months plus one (1) day after the
date of Executive’s termination of employment or
Executive’s earlier death (the “ New Payment
Date ”). The aggregate of any payments that
otherwise would have been paid to the Executive during the period
between the date of termination and the New Payment Date shall be
paid to the Executive in a lump sum on such New Payment Date.
Thereafter, any payments that remain outstanding as of the day
immediately following the New Payment Date shall be paid without
delay over the time period originally scheduled, in accordance with
the terms of this Agreement.
(iv)
“Good Reason”
Defined. For
purposes of this Agreement, “ Good Reason
” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following without
Executive’s prior written consent: (A) a change of more
than 25 miles in the geographic location at which Executive is
required by the Reporting Officer to permanently perform his
services; (B) a material or significant diminishment by the
Company of Executive’s duties, responsibilities or
operational authority from those set forth in Section 1A
above; (C) Executive is required to report to someone
other than the Reporting Officer; or (D) the Company
materially breaches any material term or condition of this
Agreement; provided that in no event shall Executive’s
resignation be for “Good Reason” unless
(x) Executive provides the Company with written notice thereof
within ninety (90) days after Executive has knowledge of the
occurrence or existence of such event or circumstance, which notice
specifically identifies the event or circumstance that Executive
believes constitutes Good Reason, (y) if the circumstance or
event is curable, the Comp