CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Class A and B Common Stock	Additional Paid-In Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Accumulated Earnings (Deficit) Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Accumulated Earnings (Deficit)	Noncontrolling Interest	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Total
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 4,664	$ 3,296,488	$ 882		$ 3,635,380	$ 492	$ 383,390		$ 6,937,906
Issuance of Class A common stock:
Exercise of stock awards	3	4,243							4,246
Employee benefits	6	27,316							27,322
Employee Stock Purchase Plan	6	15,729							15,735
Non-cash, stock-based compensation		36,261							36,261
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net			(537)						(537)
Deferred income tax (expense) benefit attributable to unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities			124						124
Foreign currency translation			(1,343)						(1,343)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests						3,722	76,678		3,722
Net income (loss) attributable to DISH Network					1,575,091				1,575,091
Other		(944)				(5,713)			(6,657)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	4,679	3,379,093	(874)		5,212,790	(1,499)	460,068		8,594,189
Issuance of Class A common stock:
ASU 2014-09 cumulative catch-up adjustment | ASU 2014-09				$ 2,319				$ 2,319
Exercise of stock awards	7	19,361							19,368
Employee benefits	11	26,993							27,004
Employee Stock Purchase Plan	6	17,061							17,067
Non-cash, stock-based compensation		14,262							14,262
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net			828						828
Deferred income tax (expense) benefit attributable to unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities			(195)						(195)
Foreign currency translation			223						223
Master Transaction Agreement, net of deferred tax of $166,161	229	496,916							497,145
Stock Rights Offering	298	998,110							998,408
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests						1,050	92,007		1,050
Net income (loss) attributable to DISH Network					1,399,512				1,399,512
Other		(4,789)							(4,789)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	5,230	4,947,007	(18)		6,612,302	(449)	552,075		11,564,072
Issuance of Class A common stock:
ASU 2014-09 cumulative catch-up adjustment									6,612,302
Exercise of stock awards	15	9,425							9,440
Employee benefits	8	28,293							28,301
Employee Stock Purchase Plan	8	17,966							17,974
Non-cash, stock-based compensation		64,954							64,954
Change in unrealized holding gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net			(91)						(91)
Deferred income tax (expense) benefit attributable to unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities			81						81
Foreign currency translation			(827)						(827)
Initial equity component of our 0% convertibles due 2025, net of deferred taxes of $99,823		329,409							329,409
Northstar Spectrum LLC Purchase Agreement							(311,735)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests						955	110,308		955
Net income (loss) attributable to DISH Network					1,762,673				1,762,673
Other		3,720				(16)			3,704
Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 5,261	$ 5,400,774	$ (855)		$ 8,374,975	$ 490	$ 350,648		13,780,645
Issuance of Class A common stock:
ASU 2014-09 cumulative catch-up adjustment									$ 8,374,975