Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders' Equity (Deficit) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Class A Shares	Class B Shares	Common Stock Par Value Class A Shares	Common Stock Par Value Class B Shares	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Shareholders’ Deficit Attributable to Class A Shareholders	Shareholders’ Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests
Dividends Paid per Class A Share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.70
Balance at Beginning of Period (shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		18,484,326	29,731,702
Balance at Beginning of Period (values) at Dec. 31, 2016				$ 0	$ 0	$ 3,097,431	$ (3,563,452)		$ 171,929
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Equity-based compensation		472,995	17,246
Relinquishment of Group A Units (shares)			(3,000,000)
Class B Shares granted to holders of Group P Units			7,185,000
Equity-based compensation, net of taxes				0	0	31,411			45,174
Reclassification upon corporate conversion				0	0	0	0
Dividend equivalents on Class A restricted share units						556	(556)
Impact of changes in Sculptor Operating Group ownership						(14,092)			14,092
Reallocation of equity and income tax effects of Recapitalization						0			0
Amendment to tax receivable agreement	$ 10,520					10,840			(320)
Dilution of proceeds from tax receivable agreement amendment (Note 4)						(21,219)			21,219
Change in redemption value of Preferred Units	7,446					(2,853)			(4,593)
Cash dividends declared on Class A Shares							(12,972)
Comprehensive net income, excluding amounts attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests							21,075		131,630
Capital contributions									1,297
Capital distributions									(22,526)
Balance at End of Period (shares) at Dec. 31, 2017		18,957,321	33,933,948
Balance at End of Period (values) at Dec. 31, 2017	$ (95,929)			0	0	3,102,074	(3,555,905)	$ (453,831)	357,902
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Impact of adoption of ASU 2014-09							41,922		75,062
Dividends Paid per Class A Share (in dollars per share)	$ 1.30
Equity-based compensation		947,805	(4,125,000)
Relinquishment of Group A Units (shares)			(350,000)
Class B Shares granted to holders of Group P Units			0
Equity-based compensation, net of taxes				0	0	33,575			45,260
Reclassification upon corporate conversion				0	0	0	0
Dividend equivalents on Class A restricted share units						1,618	(1,618)
Impact of changes in Sculptor Operating Group ownership						(1,426)			1,426
Reallocation of equity and income tax effects of Recapitalization						0			0
Amendment to tax receivable agreement	$ 0					0			0
Dilution of proceeds from tax receivable agreement amendment (Note 4)						0			0
Change in redemption value of Preferred Units	0					0			0
Cash dividends declared on Class A Shares							(24,842)
Comprehensive net income, excluding amounts attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests							(24,284)		(24,909)
Capital contributions									1,733
Capital distributions									(37,043)
Balance at End of Period (shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		19,905,126	29,458,948
Balance at End of Period (values) at Dec. 31, 2018	$ (9,455)			0	0	3,135,841	(3,564,727)	(428,886)	419,431
Dividends Paid per Class A Share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.95
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Equity-based compensation		1,379,819	(249,996)
Relinquishment of Group A Units (shares)			0
Class B Shares granted to holders of Group P Units			0
Equity-based compensation, net of taxes				8	0	83,061			37,853
Reclassification upon corporate conversion				205	292	(3,235,728)	3,235,231
Dividend equivalents on Class A restricted share units						1,739	(1,739)
Impact of changes in Sculptor Operating Group ownership						(124)			124
Reallocation of equity and income tax effects of Recapitalization						37,816			(39,086)
Amendment to tax receivable agreement	$ 50,967					50,967			0
Dilution of proceeds from tax receivable agreement amendment (Note 4)						0			0
Change in redemption value of Preferred Units	(101,406)					44,364			57,042
Cash dividends declared on Class A Shares							(19,578)
Comprehensive net income, excluding amounts attributable to redeemable noncontrolling interests							7,054		(36,184)
Capital contributions									2,606
Capital distributions									(1,007)
Balance at End of Period (shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		21,284,945	29,208,952
Balance at End of Period (values) at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 215,461			$ 213	$ 292	$ 117,936	$ (343,759)	$ (225,318)	$ 440,779