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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant

Check the appropriate box:

  • Preliminary Proxy Statement
  • Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
  • Definitive Proxy Statement
  • Definitive Additional Materials
  • Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12

MSG NETWORKS INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

  • No fee required.
  • Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
    1. Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
    2. Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
    3. Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
    4. Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
    5. Total fee paid:
  • Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
  • Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
    1. Amount Previously Paid:
    2. Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
    3. Filing Party:
    4. Date Filed:

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JAMES L. DOLAN

Executive Chairman

Notice of Annual Meeting and

Proxy Statement

Dear Stockholder:

You are cordially invited to attend our annual meeting of stockholders which is being held on Friday, December 6, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time at the J.P. Morgan Club at the Madison Square Garden Arena, located on Seventh Avenue between West 31st Street and West 33rd Street, New York, NY.

In addition to the matters described in the proxy statement, we will report on the Company's activities. You will have an opportunity to ask questions.

Additional information on how to vote and, if you wish to attend, the requirements to obtain an admission ticket, is described in the enclosed materials. I look forward to seeing you at the meeting. Your vote is important to us.

Sincerely yours,

James L. Dolan

Executive Chairman

October 25, 2019

MSG NETWORKS INC., 11 PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA, NEW YORK, NY 10001

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PROXY STATEMENT

NOTICE OF 2019 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To the Stockholders of

MSG Networks Inc.

The Annual Meeting of Stockholders of MSG Networks Inc. will be held at the J.P. Morgan Club at the Madison Square Garden Arena, located on Seventh Avenue between West 31st Street and West 33rd Street, New York, NY on Friday, December 6, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to consider and vote upon the following proposals:

  1. Election of directors.
  2. Ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm.
  3. Approval of the Company's 2010 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as amended.
  4. Conduct such other business as may be properly brought before the meeting.

Only stockholders of record on October 21, 2019 may vote at the meeting.

Your vote is important to us. Even if you plan on attending the annual meeting in person, we recommend that you vote as soon as possible by telephone, by Internet or by signing, dating and returning the proxy card in the postage-paid envelope provided.

If you wish to attend the annual meeting in person, you must request an admission ticket in advance of the meeting. You will be required to present the admission ticket and government-issued photo identification to enter the annual meeting. For more details, please see "General Information - How do I attend the 2019 annual meeting in person and what identification must I show?"

By order of the Board of Directors,

Mark C. Cresitello

Secretary

New York, New York

October 25, 2019

MSG NETWORKS INC., 11 PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA, NEW YORK, NY 10001

Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Proxy Statement Summary

1

Voting Items and Board Recommendations

1

Company Overview

1

Corporate Governance and Board Practices

1

Director Nominees

2

Executive Compensation Program

2

General Information

5

Company Overview

5

Proxy Statement Materials

5

Questions and Answers You May Have About Our Annual Meeting and Voting

5

Board and Governance Practices

11

Overview

11

Corporate Governance Practices

11

Stockholder Engagement

11

Board Leadership Structure

12

Board Self-Assessment

12

Executive Sessions of Non-Management and Independent Board Members

12

Risk Oversight

12

Communicating with Our Directors

13

Code of Conduct and Ethics

13

Director Independence

13

Director Nominations

14

Director Selection

14

Board Meetings

15

Committees

15

Director Compensation

18

Proposal 1 - Election of Directors

20

Proposal 2 - Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

27

Audit Committee Matters

28

Report of Audit Committee

29

Letter From the Compensation Committee

30

Compensation Discussion & Analysis

31

Executive Summary

31

Compensation Program Practices and Policies

35

Elements of Our Compensation Program

38

Benefits

46

Perquisites

47

Post-Termination Compensation

47

Tax Deductibility of Compensation

48

Report of Compensation Committee

49

Executive Compensation Tables

50

Summary Compensation Table

50

Grants of Plan-Based Awards

53

Outstanding Equity Awards at June 30, 2019

55

Stock Vested

57

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Pension Benefits

57

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

60

Employment Agreements

61

Termination and Severance

67

Equity Compensation Plan Information

74

CEO Pay Ratio

74

Proposal 3 - Proposal to Approve the Company's 2010 Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as Amended

76

New Plan Benefits Table

80

Our Executive Officers

81

Transactions with Related Parties

82

Relationship Between Us, MSG and AMC Networks

82

Aircraft Arrangements

84

Dolan Family Arrangements

84

Certain Relationships and Potential Conflicts of Interest

85

Related Party Transaction Approval Policy

86

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

87

Stock Ownership Table

88

Other Matters

101

Stockholder Proposals for 2020 Annual Meeting

101

Advance Notice of Proxy Holders and Qualified Representatives

101

2019 Form 10-K

102

Annex A - Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Amounts

A-1

Annex B - MSG Networks Inc. 2010 Stock Plan For Non-Employee Directors, as Amended through December 6, 2019

B-1

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MSG Networks Inc. published this content on 25 October 2019 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 25 October 2019 20:41:06 UTC