Entertainment
For the fiscal 2023 first quarter, the Entertainment segment generated revenues of $147.1 million, an increase of $112.9 million as compared to the prior year period. Event-related revenues increased $80.6 million, revenues related to the Company’s arena license agreements with Madison Square Garden Sports Corp. (“MSG Sports”) increased $18.3 million, suite license fee revenues increased $8.4 million and venue-related sponsorship and signage revenues increased $3.7 million, all primarily due to the return of live events at the Company’s performance venues during the current year quarter, as compared to limited live events held in the prior year period as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fiscal 2023 first quarter direct operating expenses of $101.8 million increased $65.5 million, as compared to the prior year quarter. Event-related expenses increased $42.0 million, direct operating expenses associated with revenue or profit sharing under the arena license agreements with MSG Sports increased $17.7 million and direct operating expenses associated with venue operating costs increased $4.5 million, all primarily due to the return of live events at the Company’s performance venues during the current year quarter.
Fiscal 2023 first quarter selling, general and administrative expenses of $103.4 million increased $10.4 million, or 11%, as compared with the prior year quarter. This increase primarily reflected higher employee compensation and related benefits of $10.4 million, primarily due to the Company’s MSG Sphere initiative, and higher other general and administrative expenses of $5.9 million, partially offset by lower professional fees of $5.9 million.
Fiscal 2023 first quarter operating loss of $75.3 million improved by $39.4 million, or 34%, and adjusted operating loss of $44.4 million improved by $27.0 million, or 38%. The improvements in operating loss and adjusted operating loss were primarily due to the increase in revenues, partially offset by higher direct operating expenses and, to a lesser extent, higher selling, general and administrative expenses.
MSG Networks
For the fiscal 2023 first quarter, the MSG Networks segment generated revenues of $122.5 million, a decrease of $19.0 million, or 13%, as compared to the prior year period. Affiliation fee revenue decreased $19.0 million, primarily due to the impact of the non-renewal of MSG Networks’ carriage agreement with Comcast as of October 1, 2021 and a decrease in subscribers of approximately 9% (excluding the impact of the non-renewal with Comcast). These decreases were partially offset by the absence of net unfavorable affiliate adjustments of approximately $6.2 million recorded in the prior year quarter and the impact of higher affiliation rates in the current year quarter.
Fiscal 2023 first quarter direct operating expenses of $75.4 million increased $7.0 million, or 10%, as compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to higher rights fees expense of $5.9 million and, to a lesser extent, an increase in other programming and production costs of $1.1 million. The increase in rights fees expense mainly reflects the absence of reductions in media rights fees related to the shortened 2020-21 NHL season recorded in the prior year period and the impact of annual contractual rate increases in the current year period.
Fiscal 2023 first quarter selling, general and administrative expenses of $17.8 million decreased $30.2 million, or 63%, as compared to the prior year quarter. This primarily reflects a decrease of $23.0 million in expenses related to the acquisition of MSG Networks by MSG Entertainment, as well as lower advertising and marketing expenses of $3.5 million and lower employee compensation and related benefits of $3.2 million.
Fiscal 2023 first quarter operating income of $27.6 million increased $4.3 million, or 19%, as compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to the decrease in selling, general and administrative expenses, partially offset by the decrease in revenues and the increase in direct operating expenses. Adjusted operating income of $32.9 million decreased $22.9 million, or 41%, as compared to the prior year quarter, primarily due to the decrease in revenues and higher direct operating expenses, partially offset by lower selling, general and administrative expenses (excluding the impact of lower merger and acquisition-related costs).
Tao Group Hospitality
For the fiscal 2023 first quarter, the Tao Group Hospitality segment generated revenues of $132.7 million, an increase of $13.2 million, or 11%, as compared to the prior year period. Revenues associated with new venue openings increased $7.5 million, while revenues associated with venues that were temporarily closed in the prior year period as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic increased $3.6 million. In addition, comparable venue revenues associated with branded locations that opened more than 15 months ago increased $1.5 million.
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