Description and Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013
BusinessDescriptionAndBasisOfPresentationTextBlockAbstract
Business Description and Basis of Presentation [Text Block]	Description and Basis of Presentation Steel Excel Inc. (“Steel Excel” or the “Company”) currently operates in two reporting segments - Energy and Sports. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Steel Energy Ltd. ("Steel Energy"), the Company's Energy segment focuses on providing services to oil and gas companies, utilizing technological advances in supporting horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Steel Sports Inc., the Company's Sports segment focuses on providing event-based sports and entertainment services and other health-related services, including baseball facility services, baseball and soccer camps and leagues, and strength and conditioning services. The Company also continues to identify other new business acquisition opportunities. The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements (the “Financial Statements”) of Steel Excel and its subsidiaries, which have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and therefore do not include all information and footnotes necessary for a fair presentation of financial position, results of operations, and cash flows in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, should be read in conjunction with the notes to the consolidated financial statements contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. The Company believes that all adjustments, consisting primarily of normal recurring accruals, necessary for a fair presentation have been included in the Financial Statements. The operating results of any period are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year or any future period. Commencing with the quarterly period ended June 30, 2013, the Company's quarter-end dates coincide with the calendar quarter-end dates. Prior to that time, the Company's quarter-end dates were based on fiscal quarters ending on the thirteenth Saturday of such fiscal quarter. The Company's quarter-end date was June 30 for both the 2013 and 2012 periods. The results of operations for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2012, include a non-cash benefit for income taxes of $15.1 million as a result of a measurement period adjustment related to an acquisition (see Note 3). Certain other prior-period amounts in the Financial Statements have been reclassified to conform to the 2013 presentation, including the reclassifications necessary to reflect the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows of a disposed business separately from continuing operations (see Note 5).

Description and Basis of Presentation

Steel Excel Inc. (“Steel Excel” or the “Company”) currently operates in two reporting segments - Energy and Sports. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Steel Energy Ltd. ("Steel Energy"), the Company's Energy segment focuses on providing services to oil and gas companies, utilizing technological advances in supporting horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Steel Sports Inc., the Company's Sports segment focuses on providing event-based sports and entertainment services and other health-related services, including baseball facility services, baseball and soccer camps and leagues, and strength and conditioning services. The Company also continues to identify other new business acquisition opportunities.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements (the “Financial Statements”) of Steel Excel and its subsidiaries, which have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and therefore do not include all information and footnotes necessary for a fair presentation of financial position, results of operations, and cash flows in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, should be read in conjunction with the notes to the consolidated financial statements contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. The Company believes that all adjustments, consisting primarily of normal recurring accruals, necessary for a fair presentation have been included in the Financial Statements. The operating results of any period are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire year or any future period.

Commencing with the quarterly period ended June 30, 2013, the Company's quarter-end dates coincide with the calendar quarter-end dates. Prior to that time, the Company's quarter-end dates were based on fiscal quarters ending on the thirteenth Saturday of such fiscal quarter. The Company's quarter-end date was June 30 for both the 2013 and 2012 periods.

The results of operations for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2012, include a non-cash benefit for income taxes of $15.1 million as a result of a measurement period adjustment related to an acquisition (see Note 3). Certain other prior-period amounts in the Financial Statements have been reclassified to conform to the 2013 presentation, including the reclassifications necessary to reflect the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows of a disposed business separately from continuing operations (see Note 5).