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Share-based Compensation (Tables)
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Share-based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]  
Summary of Stock-Based Compensation A summary of our aggregate share-based compensation expense is set forth below: 
 Three months ended
September 30,		Nine months ended
September 30,
 2021202020212020
 in millions
Liberty Global:
Performance-based incentive awards (a)$11.9 $57.0 $50.3 $106.3 
Non-performance based incentive awards (b)31.4 27.8 116.2 93.9 
Other (c)7.8 6.9 22.2 19.1 
Total Liberty Global 51.1 91.7 188.7 219.3 
Other (d)6.9 12.7 31.9 24.1 
Total$58.0 $104.4 $220.6 $243.4 
Included in:
Other operating expense$1.6 $2.5 $10.4 $4.8 
SG&A expense56.4 101.9 210.2 238.6 
Total$58.0 $104.4 $220.6 $243.4 
_______________

(a)Includes share-based compensation expense related to (i) performance-based restricted share units (PSUs), (ii) our 2019 CEO Performance Award and (iii) our 2019 Challenge Performance Awards.

(b)In April 2021 with respect to 2014 and 2015 grants and April 2020 with respect to 2013 grants, the compensation committee of our board of directors approved the extension of the expiration dates of outstanding share appreciation rights (SARs) and director options from a seven-year term to a ten-year term. Accordingly, the Black-Scholes fair values of the respective outstanding awards increased, resulting in the recognition of aggregate incremental share-based compensation expense of $22.7 million and $18.9 million during the second quarters of 2021 and 2020, respectively.

(c)Represents annual incentive compensation and defined contribution plan liabilities that have been or are expected to be settled with Liberty Global ordinary shares. In the case of the annual incentive compensation, shares have been or will be issued to senior management and key employees pursuant to a shareholding incentive program. The shareholding incentive program allows these employees to elect to receive up to 100% of their annual incentive compensation in ordinary shares of Liberty Global in lieu of cash. In addition, the 2021 amounts include compensation expense related to the 2021 Ventures Incentive Plan, as defined and described below.

(d)Amounts primarily relate to share-based compensation expense associated with Telenet’s share-based incentive awards.
Schedule of Stock Option Activity
The following table provides the aggregate number of options, SARs and performance-based share appreciation rights (PSARs) with respect to awards issued by Liberty Global that were (i) outstanding and (ii) exercisable as of September 30, 2021:
Class AClass C
Gross number of shares underlying option, SAR and PSAR awards (a)Weighted average exercise or base priceGross number of shares underlying option, SAR and PSAR awards (a)Weighted average exercise or base price
Held by Liberty Global employees:
Outstanding25,757,426 $27.06 60,118,409 $26.12 
Exercisable12,557,002 $30.64 27,734,216 $29.19 
Held by former Liberty Global employees (b):
Outstanding1,675,974 $31.14 4,689,511 $28.45 
Exercisable1,388,812 $32.80 4,115,209 $23.32 
_______________

(a)Amounts represent the gross number of shares associated with option, SAR and PSAR awards issued to our current and former employees and our directors. Our company settles SARs and PSARs on a net basis when exercised by the award holder, whereby the number of shares issued represents the excess value of the award based on the market price of the respective Liberty Global shares at the time of exercise relative to the award’s exercise price. In addition, the number of shares issued is further reduced by the amount of the employee’s required income tax withholding.

(b)Amounts represent certain share-based awards that continue to be held by former employees of Liberty Global subsequent to certain split-off or disposal transactions. Although future exercises of these awards by former employees will not result in the recognition of share-based compensation expense, such exercises will increase the number of our outstanding ordinary shares.
Schedule of Other Share Based Compensation Activity
The following table provides the aggregate number of restricted share units (RSUs) and PSUs that were outstanding as of September 30, 2021. The number of shares to be issued on the vesting date of these awards will be reduced by the amount of the employee’s required income tax withholding.
Class AClass C
Held by Liberty Global employees:
RSUs2,722,067 5,443,384 
PSUs1,306,731 2,613,401 
Held by former Liberty Global employees (a):
RSUs74,193 148,583 
PSUs37,510 75,016 
_______________
(a)Amounts represent certain share-based awards that continue to be held by former employees of Liberty Global subsequent to certain split-off or disposal transactions. Although we do not recognize share-based compensation expense with respect to these awards, the future vesting of these RSUs and PSUs will increase the number of our outstanding ordinary shares.