Income Taxes	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Income Taxes	NOTE 9: INCOME TAXES In the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company recorded income tax expense from continuing operations of $57 million. The effective tax rate on pretax income from continuing operations was 28.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The rate differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21% due to state income taxes (net of federal benefit), non-deductible executive compensation, certain transaction costs and other expenses not fully deductible for tax purposes, and a net $2 million charge related primarily to the write-off of unrealized deferred tax assets related to stock-based compensation. In the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Company recorded an income tax benefit from continuing operations of $52 million. The effective tax rate on pretax loss from continuing operations was 33.8% for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The rate differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35% at that time due to state income taxes (net of federal benefit), the domestic production activities deduction, other non-deductible expenses, a $1 million benefit related to the resolution of certain federal and state income tax matters and other adjustments, and a $1 million charge related to the write-off of unrealized deferred tax assets related to stock-based compensation. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act—On December 22, 2017, Tax Reform was signed into law. Under ASC Topic 740, the effects of Tax Reform are recognized in the period of enactment and as such were recorded in the Company’s fourth quarter of 2017. The Company is in the process of analyzing certain provisions of Tax Reform including but not limited to the repeal of the domestic production activities deduction and changes to the deductibility of executive compensation. Consistent with the guidance under ASC Topic 740, and subject to Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) 118, which provides for a measurement period to complete the accounting for certain elements of Tax Reform, the Company recorded a provisional discrete net tax benefit of $256 million in the fourth quarter of 2017 primarily due to a remeasurement of the net deferred tax liabilities resulting from the decrease in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%. In the three months ended March 31, 2018 the Company has not made any material adjustments to the provisional discrete net tax benefit recorded in the fourth quarter of 2017. Further impacts of Tax Reform may be reflected in future quarters upon issuance of clarifications to existing law or additional technical guidance from the Department of Treasury and the completion of the Company’s tax return filings. Therefore, the Company has not completed the accounting for the provisional discrete net tax benefit recorded in the fourth quarter of 2017. Tax Reform also provided for a one-time deemed mandatory repatriation of post-1986 undistributed foreign subsidiary earnings and profits (“E&P”) through the year ended December 31, 2017. The Company does not have any net accumulated E&P in its foreign subsidiaries and therefore was not subject to tax for the year ended December 31, 2017. Further, the Company has analyzed the effects of new taxes due on certain foreign income, such as global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”), base-erosion anti-abuse tax (“BEAT”), foreign-derived intangible income (“FDII”) and limitations on interest expense deductions (if certain conditions apply) that are effective starting in fiscal 2018. The Company has determined that these new provisions are not applicable to the Company. Chicago Cubs Transactions—As further described in Note 8 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, the Company consummated the closing of the Chicago Cubs Transactions on October 27, 2009. As a result of these transactions, Ricketts Acquisition LLC owns 95% and the Company owns 5% of the membership interests in New Cubs LLC. The fair market value of the contributed assets exceeded the tax basis and did not result in an immediate taxable gain because the transaction was structured to comply with the partnership provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) and related regulations. On June 28, 2016, the IRS issued the Company a Notice of Deficiency (“Notice”) which presents the IRS’s position that the gain should have been included in the Company’s 2009 taxable income. Accordingly, the IRS has proposed a $182 million tax and a $73 million gross valuation misstatement penalty. In addition, after-tax interest on the aforementioned proposed tax and penalty through March 31, 2018 would be approximately $67 million. The Company continues to disagree with the IRS’s position that the transaction generated a taxable gain in 2009, the proposed penalty and the IRS’s calculation of the gain. During the third quarter of 2016, the Company filed a petition in U.S. Tax Court to contest the IRS’s determination. The Company continues to pursue resolution of this disputed tax matter with the IRS. If the IRS prevails in their position, the gain on the Chicago Cubs Transactions would be deemed to be taxable in 2009. The Company estimates that the federal and state income taxes would be approximately $225 million before interest and penalties. Any tax, interest and penalty due will be offset by tax payments made relating to this transaction subsequent to 2009. As of March 31, 2018, the Company has paid or accrued approximately $81 million of federal and state tax payments through its regular tax reporting process. The Company does not maintain any tax reserves relating to the Chicago Cubs Transactions. In accordance with ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes,” the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 includes a deferred tax liability of $68 million and $96 million, respectively, related to the future recognition of taxable income related to the Chicago Cubs Transactions. Other—Although management believes its estimates and judgments are reasonable, the resolutions of the Company’s tax issues are unpredictable and could result in tax liabilities that are significantly higher or lower than that which has been provided by the Company. The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC Topic 740, which addresses the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The Company’s liability for unrecognized tax benefits totaled $23 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017. The Company believes it is reasonably possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by approximately $2 million within the next twelve months due to the resolution of tax examination issues and statute of limitations expirations.

NOTE 9: INCOME TAXES

In the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company recorded income tax expense from continuing operations of $57 million. The effective tax rate on pretax income from continuing operations was 28.7% for the three months ended March 31, 2018. The rate differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21% due to state income taxes (net of federal benefit), non-deductible executive compensation, certain transaction costs and other expenses not fully deductible for tax purposes, and a net $2 million charge related primarily to the write-off of unrealized deferred tax assets related to stock-based compensation.

In the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Company recorded an income tax benefit from continuing operations of $52 million. The effective tax rate on pretax loss from continuing operations was 33.8% for the three months ended March 31, 2017. The rate differs from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 35% at that time due to state income taxes (net of federal benefit), the domestic production activities deduction, other non-deductible expenses, a $1 million benefit related to the resolution of certain federal and state income tax matters and other adjustments, and a $1 million charge related to the write-off of unrealized deferred tax assets related to stock-based compensation.

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act—On December 22, 2017, Tax Reform was signed into law. Under ASC Topic 740, the effects of Tax Reform are recognized in the period of enactment and as such were recorded in the Company’s fourth quarter of 2017. The Company is in the process of analyzing certain provisions of Tax Reform including but not limited to the repeal of the domestic production activities deduction and changes to the deductibility of executive compensation. Consistent with the guidance under ASC Topic 740, and subject to Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) 118, which provides for a measurement period to complete the accounting for certain elements of Tax Reform, the Company recorded a provisional discrete net tax benefit of $256 million in the fourth quarter of 2017 primarily due to a remeasurement of the net deferred tax liabilities resulting from the decrease in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from 35% to 21%. In the three months ended March 31, 2018 the Company has not made any material adjustments to the provisional discrete net tax benefit recorded in the fourth quarter of 2017. Further impacts of Tax Reform may be reflected in future quarters upon issuance of clarifications to existing law or additional technical guidance from the Department of Treasury and the completion of the Company’s tax return filings. Therefore, the Company has not completed the accounting for the provisional discrete net tax benefit recorded in the fourth quarter of 2017. Tax Reform also provided for a one-time deemed mandatory repatriation of post-1986 undistributed foreign subsidiary earnings and profits (“E&P”) through the year ended December 31, 2017. The Company does not have any net accumulated E&P in its foreign subsidiaries and therefore was not subject to tax for the year ended December 31, 2017. Further, the Company has analyzed the effects of new taxes due on certain foreign income, such as global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”), base-erosion anti-abuse tax (“BEAT”), foreign-derived intangible income (“FDII”) and limitations on interest expense deductions (if certain conditions apply) that are effective starting in fiscal 2018. The Company has determined that these new provisions are not applicable to the Company.

Chicago Cubs Transactions—As further described in Note 8 to the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, the Company consummated the closing of the Chicago Cubs Transactions on October 27, 2009. As a result of these transactions, Ricketts Acquisition LLC owns 95% and the Company owns 5% of the membership interests in New Cubs LLC. The fair market value of the contributed assets exceeded the tax basis and did not result in an immediate taxable gain because the transaction was structured to comply with the partnership provisions of the Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) and related regulations. On June 28, 2016, the IRS issued the Company a Notice of Deficiency (“Notice”) which presents the IRS’s position that the gain should have been included in the Company’s 2009 taxable income. Accordingly, the IRS has proposed a $182 million tax and a $73 million gross valuation misstatement penalty. In addition, after-tax interest on the aforementioned proposed tax and penalty through March 31, 2018 would be approximately $67 million. The Company continues to disagree with the IRS’s position that the transaction generated a taxable gain in 2009, the proposed penalty and the IRS’s calculation of the gain. During the third quarter of 2016, the Company filed a petition in U.S. Tax Court to contest the IRS’s determination. The Company continues to pursue resolution of this disputed tax matter with the IRS. If the IRS prevails in their position, the gain on the Chicago Cubs Transactions would be deemed to be taxable in 2009. The Company estimates that the federal and state income taxes would be approximately $225 million before interest and penalties. Any tax, interest and penalty due will be offset by tax payments made relating to this transaction subsequent to 2009. As of March 31, 2018, the Company has paid or accrued approximately $81 million of federal and state tax payments through its regular tax reporting process. The Company does not maintain any tax reserves relating to the Chicago Cubs Transactions. In accordance with ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes,” the Company’s unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017 includes a deferred tax liability of $68 million and $96 million, respectively, related to the future recognition of taxable income related to the Chicago Cubs Transactions.

Other—Although management believes its estimates and judgments are reasonable, the resolutions of the Company’s tax issues are unpredictable and could result in tax liabilities that are significantly higher or lower than that which has been provided by the Company. The Company accounts for uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC Topic 740, which addresses the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The Company’s liability for unrecognized tax benefits totaled $23 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017. The Company believes it is reasonably possible that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits could decrease by approximately $2 million within the next twelve months due to the resolution of tax examination issues and statute of limitations expirations.