substantially all” of the properties or assets of DICK’S Sporting Goods and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole. See “—Certain Definitions—Change of Control.” Although there is a limited body of case law interpreting the phrase “substantially all,” there is no precise established definition of the phrase under applicable law. Accordingly, the ability of a holder of notes to require DICK’S Sporting Goods to repurchase its notes as a result of a sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of less than all of the assets of DICK’S Sporting Goods and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to another Person or group may be uncertain.
Subject to the limitations discussed below, we could, in the future, enter into certain transactions, including acquisitions, refinancings or other recapitalizations, that would not constitute a change of control under the indenture, but that could increase the amount of indebtedness of the Company or its Subsidiaries outstanding at such time or otherwise affect the capital structure of the Company or its Subsidiaries or the credit ratings of the new notes. Restrictions on our ability to incur liens and merge, consolidate or sell assets are contained in the covenants as described under “—Limitation on Liens” and “—Limitation on Mergers and Sales of Assets.” Except for the limitations contained in such covenants and the covenant relating to repurchases upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, however, the indenture does not contain any covenants or provisions that may afford holders of the new notes protection in the event of a highly leveraged transaction.
We may not have sufficient funds to repurchase all the notes upon a Change of Control Triggering Event. In addition, even if we have sufficient funds, we may be prohibited from repurchasing the notes under the terms of our other debt instruments outstanding at such time. Further, a Change of Control may constitute an event of default under one or more of our debt instruments outstanding from time to time. See “Risk Factors—Risks Relating to the Exchange Notes—DICK’S may not have sufficient funds to purchase the Exchange Notes upon a Change of Control Triggering Event.”
Limitations on Liens
The indenture provides that we will not, and will not permit any Significant Subsidiary to, incur, issue, assume or guarantee any indebtedness for money borrowed if such indebtedness is secured by a pledge of, lien on or security interest in any shares of Voting Stock of any Significant Subsidiary, whether such Voting Stock is now owned or is hereafter acquired, without providing that the notes shall be secured equally and ratably with, or (at the Company’s option) prior to, such secured indebtedness, so long as such indebtedness shall be so secured.
The foregoing limitation shall not apply to indebtedness (1) secured by a pledge of, lien on or security interest in any shares of Voting Stock of any entity at the time it becomes a Significant Subsidiary (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Foot Locker, Inc. and its Subsidiaries, to the extent any of them constitute Significant Subsidiaries), (2) of a Subsidiary owed to us or indebtedness of a Subsidiary owed to another Subsidiary, (3) existing on the date of initial issuance of the notes, (4) in a principal amount that, together with all other indebtedness for money borrowed of us and our Subsidiaries similarly secured by liens on shares of Voting Stock pursuant to this clause (4), does not exceed, as of the date of incurrence, issuance, assumption or guarantee, the greater of (a) 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, calculated at the time such indebtedness is incurred, issued, assumed or guaranteed, and (b) $1,950,000,000 and (5) incurred for the sole purpose of extending, renewing, replacing or refinancing indebtedness secured by any lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (1) to (4) or any successive extension, renewal, replacement or refinancing of such indebtedness; provided, however, that the principal amount of indebtedness secured by that lien, pledge or security interest shall not exceed the principal amount of indebtedness so secured at the time of such extension, renewal, replacement or refinancing, plus any accrued interest, if any, on the indebtedness being extended, renewed, replaced or refinanced, plus amounts necessary to pay any fees and expenses, including premiums relating to such extension, renewal, replacement or refinancing.
Limitations on Mergers and Sales of Assets
The indenture provides that the Company will not, directly or indirectly: (a) consolidate or merge with or into another Person (whether or not the Company is the surviving Person) or (b) sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets owned by the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in one or more related transactions, to another Person, unless:
• | we shall be the continuing entity, or the resulting, surviving or transferee Person shall be a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, and such successor Person (if not us) shall expressly assume, by a supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all of our obligations under the notes and the indenture; |