SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Use of Estimates —We use estimates and assumptions in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. Our estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Our actual financial results could differ significantly from these estimates. The significant estimates underlying our consolidated financial statements include the accrual for future customer compensation and the related recovery of future customer compensation asset; breakage rates related to customer credits; usage assumptions for our loyalty program; inventory valuation; valuation of equity-based compensation; valuation of warrants; valuation of acquired intangible assets and goodwill and valuation of earnouts issued in connection with our acquisition of Betcha Sports, Inc. (“Betcha”, as renamed "Vivid Picks"); useful life of definite-lived intangible assets and other long-lived assets; impairments of goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets, definite-lived intangible assets and long-lived assets, and valuation allowances. C ash and Cash Equivalents —Cash and cash equivalents include all cash balances and highly liquid investments purchased with original maturities of three months or less. Our cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of domestic bank accounts, interest-bearing deposit accounts, and money market accounts managed by third-party financial institutions. Cash and cash equivalents are valued by us based on quoted prices in an active market, which represent a Level 1 measurement within the fair value hierarchy. Cash and cash equivalents held in interest-bearing accounts may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance limits. To reduce credit risk, we monitor the credit standing of the financial institutions that hold our cash and cash equivalents. However, balances could be impacted in the future if underlying financial institutions fail. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we have not experienced any loss or lack of access to its cash and cash equivalents. Restricted Cash —Restricted cash consists of funds reserved for Vivid Picks account balances, which are required to remain separate from our operational funds and are reserved for users. Accounts Receivable and Credit Policies — $ 18.9 million and $ 9.5 million of the Accounts receivable balance at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, consisted of uncollateralized payment processor obligations due under normal trade terms typically requiring payment within three business days. Credit risk with respect to accounts receivable from payment processing entities is limited due to the consolidation of those receivables with large financial institutions and the frequency with which the receivables turn over. $ 1.0 million and $ 7.2 million of the Accounts receivable balance at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, consisted of amounts due from marketplace ticket sellers for cancelled event tickets. We recorded an allowance for doubtful accounts of $ 0.1 million and $ 1.4 million at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, to reflect potential challenges in collecting funds from marketplace ticket sellers. The allowance for doubtful accounts decreased during 2022 as ticket sellers on the marketplace platform repaid their outstanding balances or uncollectable amounts were written off. Accounts receivable balances are stated net of allowance for doubtful accounts and bad debt expense is presented as a reduction of Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. $ 11.7 million and $ 14.5 million of the Accounts receivable balance at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, consisted of amounts due from distribution partners for cancellation charges, primarily related to cancelled events. We recorded an allowance for doubtful accounts of $ 3.6 million and $ 1.6 million at December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, to reflect potential challenges in collecting funds from distribution partners, particularly for amounts due upon usage of store credit previously issued to buyers. Accounts receivable balances are stated net of allowance for doubtful accounts and bad debt expense is presented as a reduction of Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Write-offs were $ 4.9 million , $ 1.0 million , and less than $ 0.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Inventory —Inventory consists of tickets to live events purchased by our Resale segment. All inventory is valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value, determined by the specific identification method. A provision is recorded to adjust inventory to its estimated realizable value when inventory is determined to be in excess of anticipated demand. During the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020, we incurred inventory write-downs of $ 5.0 million , $ 2.1 million , and $ 1.6 million , respectively, which are presented in Cost of revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Property and Equipment— Property and equipment are stated at cost, net of depreciation. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives: Asset Class Useful Life Computer Equipment 5 years Purchased Software 3 years Furniture and Fixtures 7 years Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the term of the lease or the improvements’ estimated useful lives. Long-Lived Assets Impairment Assessments —We review our long-lived assets (property and equipment – net and personal seat licenses – net) for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. The fair value of our long-lived assets is determined using both the market approach and income approach, utilizing Level 3 inputs. If circumstances require a long-lived asset or asset group to be held and used be tested for possible impairment, we first compare the undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by that long-lived asset or asset group to its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group is not recoverable on an undiscounted cash flow basis, an impairment is recognized to the extent the carrying amount exceeds its fair value. During the second quarter of 2020, we determined a triggering event occurred that required us to evaluate our long-lived assets for impairment. We recorded an impairment charge as a result of those assessments. Refer to Note 6, Impairments , for additional information. Goodwill and Intangible Assets —Goodwill represents the excess purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired. Intangible assets other than goodwill primarily consists of customer and supplier relationships, developed technology, non-compete agreements, and trademarks. We evaluate goodwill and our indefinite-lived intangible asset for impairment annually on October 31 or more frequently when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicates the carrying value may not be recoverable. We have the option to assess goodwill and our indefinite-lived intangible asset for impairment by first performing a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit or the indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying value. If it is determined that the reporting unit’s or the indefinite-lived intangible asset’s fair value is more-likely-than-not less than its carrying value, or if we do not elect the option to perform an initial qualitative assessment, we perform a quantitative assessment of the reporting unit’s or the indefinite-lived intangible asset’s fair value. If the fair value of the reporting unit or the indefinite-lived intangible asset is in excess of its carrying value, the related goodwill or the indefinite-lived intangible asset is not impaired. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the carrying value, we recognize an impairment equal to the difference between the carrying value of the reporting unit and its fair value, not to exceed the carrying value of goodwill. If the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than the carrying value, we recognize an impairment equal to the difference. We review our definite-lived intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. If circumstances require a definite-lived intangible asset or its asset group to be held and used be tested for possible impairment, we first compare the undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by that definite-lived intangible asset or asset group to its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the definite-lived intangible asset or asset group is not recoverable on an undiscounted cash flow basis, an impairment is recognized to the extent that the carrying amount exceeds its fair value. The fair value of our definite-lived intangible assets or asset group is determined using both the market approach and income approach, utilizing Level 3 inputs. Definite-lived intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated period of benefit, over the following estimated useful lives: Asset Class Useful Life Non-competition agreements 3 years Supplier relationships 4 years Developed technology 3 - 5 years Customer relationships 2 - 5 years During the second quarter of 2020, we determined a triggering event occurred that required us to evaluate our long-lived assets for impairment. We recorded an impairment charge as a result of those assessments. Refer to Note 6, Impairments , for additional information. Capitalized Development Costs —We incur costs related to internal-use software and website development. Costs incurred in both the preliminary project stage and post-implementation stage of development are expensed as incurred. Qualifying development costs, including those incurred for upgrades and enhancements that result in additional functionality to existing software, are capitalized. Capitalized development costs are classified as Intangible assets – net on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and amortized using the straight-line method over the 3 year useful life of the applicable software. The amortization is presented in Depreciation and amortization expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Accrued Customer Credits —We may issue credits to customers for cancelled events that can be applied to future purchases on our marketplace. The amount recognized in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets represents the balance of credits issued to these customers. Breakage income from customer credits that are not expected to be used, and are not subject to escheatment, is estimated and recognized as revenue in proportion to the pattern of redemption for the customer credits that are used. We estimate breakage based on historical usage trends for credits issued by us and available data on comparable programs. This estimate could be impacted by changes in credit usage rates, or in the determination of which credits are subject to escheatment, the effects of which could be material to the consolidated financial statements. When customer credits are used to make a purchase, revenue is recognized for the new transaction. Accrued Future Customer Compensation —Provisions for accrued future customer compensation are included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and represent compensation to be paid to customers for event cancellations or other service issues related to previously recorded sales transactions. The expected recoveries of these obligations are included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets. These provisions are based on historic experience, revenue volumes for future events, and management's estimate of the likelihood of future event cancellations and are recognized as a component of Revenue. This estimated accrual could be impacted by future activity differing from our estimates, the effects of which could be material to the consolidated financial statements. Income Taxes —Hoya Intermediate is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal and most applicable state and local income tax purposes. As a partnership, Hoya Intermediate's taxable income and losses were passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including VSI, for periods following the Merger Transaction. Accordingly, amounts related to income taxes were zero for us prior to the Merger Transaction, and therefore, are not representative of future amounts expected to be incurred by us. Following the Merger Transaction, our parent legal entity is VSI. We are subject to income taxes at the U.S. federal, state, and local levels for income tax purposes, including with respect to our allocable share of any taxable income of Hoya Intermediate. Income taxes are accounted for using the asset and liability method of accounting. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences on differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis, using tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect on deferred assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period when the change is enacted. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when it is “more-likely-than not” that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The realization of the deferred tax assets is dependent on the amount of our future taxable income. We recognize interest and penalties related to underpayment of income taxes in Income tax expense on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. To date, the interest or penalties incurred related to income taxes have not been material. Tax Receivable Agreement —In connection with the Merger Transaction, we entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with the existing Hoya Intermediate shareholders that will provide for payment to Hoya Intermediate shareholders of 85 % of the amount of the tax savings, if any, that we realize (or, under certain circumstances, is deemed to realize) as a result of, or attributable to, (i) increases in the tax basis of assets owned directly or indirectly by Hoya Intermediate or its subsidiaries from, among other things, any redemptions or exchanges of Intermediate Units (ii) existing tax basis (including depreciation and amortization deductions arising from such tax basis) in long-lived assets owned directly or indirectly by Hoya Intermediate and its subsidiaries, and (iii) certain other tax benefits (including deductions in respect of imputed interest) related to Hoya Intermediate making payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. Debt —Term debt is carried at the outstanding principal balance, less debt issuance costs and any unamortized discount or premium. Deferred borrowing costs and discounts are amortized to interest expense over the terms of the respective borrowings using the effective interest method. Upon the repayment of our term debt, we reflected prepayment penalties and the write-off of any unamortized borrowing costs and discounts as loss on extinguishment of debt on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Fair Value of Financial Instruments —Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The fair value of our financial instruments is disclosed based on the fair value hierarchy using the following three categories: Level 1 —Measurements that reflect quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets. Level 2 —Measurements that include other inputs that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace. Level 3 —Measurements derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. These fair value measurements require significant judgment. Our assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis are presented in Note 12, Debt, and Note 14, Financial Instruments . Our non-financial assets, such as goodwill, intangible assets, and long-lived assets are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis, utilizing Level 3 inputs, are presented in Note 9, Goodwill and Intangible Assets . Other financial instruments, including accounts receivable and accounts payable, are carried at cost, which approximates their fair value because of the short-term nature of these instruments. We did not have any transfers of financial instruments between valuation levels during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. Warrants —In connection with the Merger Transaction, we issued several types of warrants. We separately evaluate the terms for each of these outstanding warrants in accordance with ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, and ASC 815-40, Derivatives and Hedging: Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity to determine the appropriate classification and accounting treatment. Our Public Warrants, Private Warrants, and Exercise Warrants meet the criteria to be classified as equity instruments. Hoya Intermediate Warrants are exercisable for Intermediate Units, which allow for a potential cash redemption at the discretion of the unit holder, and hence, these warrants are classified as a liability in Other liabilities on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. The warrant liability is subject to a fair value remeasurement each period with an offsetting adjustment reflected in Other expenses on our Consolidated Statements of Operations. Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests —VSI holds a 40.5 % int erest in Hoya Intermediate, with the remainder held by Hoya Topco. Hoya Topco’s interest in Hoya Intermediate represents a redeemable noncontrolling interest. At its discretion, Hoya Topco has the right to exchange its common units in Hoya Intermediate for either shares of Class A common stock of VSI on a one-to-one basis or cash proceeds of equal value at the time of redemption. Any redemption of Intermediate Units in cash must be funded through a private or public offering of Class A Common Stock and is subject to the approval of the VSI Board of Directors ("Board"). As of December 31, 2022, equity holders of Hoya Topco hold the majority of the voting rights on the Board. As the redeemable noncontrolling interests are redeemable upon the occurrence of an event that is not solely within our control, we classify our redeemable noncontrolling interests as temporary equity. The redeemable noncontrolling interests were initially measured at Hoya Topco’s share in the net assets of Hoya Intermediate upon consummation of the Merger Transaction. Subsequent remeasurements of our redeemable noncontrolling interests are recorded as a deemed dividend each reporting period, which reduces retained earnings, if any, or additional paid-in capital of VSI Remeasurements of our redeemable noncontrolling interests are based on the fair value of our Class A common stock. Offering costs —We incurred incremental costs associated with the Merger Transaction and PIPE Financing related for legal, accounting, and other third-party fees. In accordance with Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) Topic 5.A, Expenses of Offering , we deferred certain incremental costs directly associated with the Merger Transaction and PIPE Financing. These deferred costs were capitalized by us and subsequently charged against the gross proceeds of the Merger Transaction and PIPE Financing as a reduction to additional paid-in capital on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Our tota l transaction costs during the year ended December 31, 2021 were $ 32.7 million, of which $ 20.2 million was charged against the gross proceeds of the Merger Transaction and PIPE Financing. Equity-Based Compensation —We account for Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs"), stock options, and profits interest at fair value as of the grant date. We award RSUs to our employees, directors and consultants. We award stock options to certain employees. We account for forfeitures of outstanding, but unvested grants, in the period they occur. The awards are subject to the recipient’s continued service through the applicable vesting date. The grant-date fair value of stock options is estimated using an option pricing model. The model requires us to make assumptions and judgments about the variables used in the calculation, the volatility of our common stock, risk-free interest rate, and expected dividends. Expense related to grants of equity-based awards is recognized as equity-based compensation in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Prior to the Merger Transaction, certain members of management received profit interests in Hoya Topco and Phantom units in a cash bonus pool funded by Hoya Topco. Under Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 718, Compensation–Stock Compensation , and ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity , the grants of profits interest meet the criteria to be recognized as equity-classified awards, whereas the grants of Phantom units meet the criteria to be recognized as liability-classified awards. For the profit interests and Phantom units, we used a market-based approach to determine the total equity value of Hoya Topco and allocate the resulting value between share classes using the Black-Scholes option pricing model to determine the grant date fair value of employee grants. The exercise prices used are based on various scenarios considering the waterfall payout structure of the units that exists at the Hoya Topco level. For Phantom Units with service and performance conditions, we recognize a liability for the fair value of the outstanding units only when we conclude it is probable that the performance condition will be achieved. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, it is not probable the performance condition will be achieved. Segment Reporting— Operating segments are defined as components of an entity for which discrete financial information is available and is regularly reviewed by the Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) in making decisions regarding resource allocation and performance assessment. Our CODM is our Chief Executive Officer. We have determined that we have two operating and reportable segments: Marketplace and Resale. Revenue Recognition —We recognize revenue in accordance with ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). We report revenue on a gross or net basis based on management’s assessment of whether we are acting as a principal or agent in the transaction. Revenue is reported net of sales taxes. The determination of whether we are acting as a principal or an agent in a transaction is based on the evaluation of control over the ticket, including the right to sell the ticket, before it is transferred to the ticket buyer. Marketplace We act as an intermediary between ticket buyers and sellers in our online secondary ticketing marketplace. Revenue primarily consists of service fees from ticketing operations and is reduced by incentives provided to ticket buyers. We have one primary performance obligation, facilitating the Marketplace transaction between the ticket buyers and sellers, which is satisfied at the time the order is confirmed. In this transaction, we act as an agent as we do not control the ticket prior to transferring it to the ticket buyer. Revenue is recognized net of the amount due to the ticket seller when the seller confirms an order with the ticket buyer, at which point the seller is obligated to deliver the tickets to the buyer in accordance with the original marketplace listing. Payment from the ticket buyer is due at the time of sale. Our sales terms provide that we will compensate the ticket buyer for the total amount of the purchase if an event is cancelled, the ticket is invalid, or if the ticket is delivered after the promised time. We have determined this is considered a stand-ready obligation to provide a return that is not a separate performance obligation, but is an element of variable consideration, which results in a reduction to revenue. The revenue reversal is reflected within Accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets when the buyer has yet to be compensated. We estimate the customer compensation liability, and corresponding charge against revenue, using the expected value method, which best predicts customer compensation for future cancellations. To the extent we estimate that a portion of the refund is recoverable from ticket sellers or distribution partners, we record the recovery as revenue to align with the net presentation of the original transaction. In extreme circumstances, such as the COVID-related shutdowns during 2020, the timing of event cancellations versus new sales transactions can result in customer compensation costs exceeding current period sales resulting in negative marketplace revenue for that period. In certain instances, ticket buyers are compensated with credit to be used on future purchases. When a credit is redeemed, revenue is recognized for the newly placed order. Breakage income from customer credits that are not expected to be used, and not subject to escheatment, is estimated and recognized as revenue in proportion to the pattern of redemption for the customer credits that are used. We also earn referral commissions on purchases of third-party insurance services by ticket buyers at the time of sale of the associated ticket on the Marketplace platform. Referral commissions are recognized as revenue when the ticket buyer makes a purchase from the third-party insurance provider during customer checkout. Payment from the third-party provider is due to us net 30 from when invoiced. This revenue is included within all categories of Marketplace disaggregated revenue described in Note 4, Revenue Recognition . We earn revenue from our daily fantasy sports offering, which is the difference between cash entry fees collected and cash amounts paid out to users for winning picks, less customer promotions and incentives in a period. Resale We sell tickets we own on secondary ticket marketplaces. The Resale business has one performance obligation, which is to transfer control of a live event ticket to a ticket buyer once an order has been confirmed. We act as a principal in these transactions as we own the ticket and therefore we control the ticket prior to transferring the ticket to the customer. Revenue is recorded on a gross basis based on the value of the ticket and is recognized when an order is confirmed in the secondary ticket marketplace. Payment from the marketplace is typically due upon delivery of the ticket or after the event has passed. Secondary ticket marketplace terms and conditions require sellers to repay amounts received for events that are cancelled or tickets that are invalid or delivered after the promised time. We have determined that this obligation is a stand-ready obligation to provide a return that is not a separate performance obligation, but is an element of variable consideration, which results in a reduction to revenue. We recognize a liability for known and estimated cancellation charges within Accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. We estimate the future customer compensation liability, and corresponding charge against revenue, using the expected value method. To the extent we estimate that a portion of the charge is recoverable from the event host, we record the estimated recovery asset to Prepaid expenses and other current assets. When our Resale business sells a ticket in our own marketplace, the service fee is recorded in Marketplace revenues and the sales price of the ticket is recorded in Resale revenues. Deferred Revenue Deferred revenue consists of fees received related to unsatisfied performance obligations at the end of the period. The majority of the unsatisfied performance obligations are related to our loyalty program, Vivid Seats Rewards. Vivid Seats Rewards allows ticket buyers to earn stamps for each ticket purchased, which convert to credits upon reaching certain thresholds. Buyers can redeem those credits on future transactions. The credits earned in the program represent a material right to the ticket buyer and constitute an additional performance obligation for us. As such, we defer revenue based on expected future usage and recognize the deferred revenue as credits are redeemed. Revenue from sales of contingent events, such as postseason sporting events, is initially recorded as Deferred revenue in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and is recognized when the contingency is resolved. Sales Tax —Sales taxes are imposed by state, county, and city governmental authorities. We collect sales tax from the ticket buyer where required and remit to the appropriate governmental agency. Collected sales taxes are recorded as a liability until remitted. There is no impact on the Consolidated Statements of Operations as revenue is recorded net of sales taxes. Advertising Costs —We utilize various forms of advertising, including paid search, brand partnership, e-mail marketing, and other forms of media. Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and were $ 247.3 million , $ 180.7 million , and $ 37.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020 respectively. Advertising costs are presented as part of Marketing and selling expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Shipping and Handling —Shipping and handling charges to customers are included in Revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Shipping and handling costs incurred by us are treated as fulfillment activities, and as such are included in Cost of revenues in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. These costs are accrued upon recognition of revenue. Recent Accounting Pronouncements As an “emerging growth company” under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), we are provided the option to adopt new or revised accounting guidance either (1) within the same periods as those otherwise applicable to public business entities, or (2) within the same time periods as non-public business entities, including early adoption when permissible. The following provides a brief description of recent accounting pronouncements that could have a material effect on our financial statements: Issued accounting standards adopted Leases —In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for virtually all of their leases (other than leases that meet the definition of a short-term lease) in the balance sheet. Lease liabilities are equal to the present value of lease payments, while right-of-use assets are based on the associated lease liabilities, subject to certain adjustments, such as for initial direct costs. We elected the extended transition period available to emerging growth companies and adopted Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 842 effective January 1, 2022 on a modified retrospective basis by applying the new standard to all leases existing at the date of initial application. We elected to present the financial statements for all periods prior to January 1, 2022 under the previous lease standard ("ASC 840"), as well as elected other options, which allow us to use our previous evaluations regarding if an arrangement contains a lease, if a lease is an operating or financing lease, and what costs are capitalized as initial direct costs prior to adoption. We also elected to combine lease and non-lease components. Upon the adoption of the new lease standard, on January 1, 2022, we recognized right-of-use assets of $ 6.6 million and lease liabilities of $ 8.1 million (including a current liability of $ 3.0 million) in the Consolidated Balance Sheets and reclassified certain balances related to existing leases. The right-of-use assets balance as of January 1, 2022 is adjusted for $ 1.5 million of lease termination liabilities and deferred rent liabilities recognized under the previous lease standard. There was no impact to Accumulated deficit on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at |