CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Millions		Sep. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		$ 1,058	$ 1,259
Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $7 and $5, respectively		1,174	1,060
Income taxes receivable		273	230
Prepaid sports rights		81	498
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		206	170
Total current assets		2,792	3,217
Property and equipment, net		785	823
Operating lease assets		177	197
Deferred tax assets		293	197
Restricted cash		3	3
Goodwill		2,088	2,092
Indefinite-lived intangible assets		150	171
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		5,199	5,624
Other assets		1,358	1,058
Total assets	[1]	12,845	13,382
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities		624	533
Current portion of notes payable, finance leases, and commercial bank financing		66	58
Current portion of operating lease liabilities		27	34
Current portion of program contracts payable		116	92
Other current liabilities		307	317
Total current liabilities		1,140	1,034
Notes payable, finance leases, and commercial bank financing, less current portion		12,464	12,493
Operating lease liabilities, less current portion		185	198
Program contracts payable, less current portion		25	30
Other long-term liabilities		397	622
Total liabilities	[1]	14,211	14,377
Commitments and contingencies (See Note 6)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests		194	190
Shareholders' equity:
Additional paid-in capital		747	721
Accumulated deficit		(2,357)	(1,986)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(4)	(10)
Total Sinclair Broadcast Group shareholders’ deficit		(1,613)	(1,274)
Noncontrolling interests		53	89
Total deficit		(1,560)	(1,185)
Total liabilities, redeemable noncontrolling interests, and deficit		12,845	13,382
Class A Common Stock
Shareholders' equity:
Common Stock		1	1
Class B Common Stock
Shareholders' equity:
Common Stock		0	0
Customer relationships, net
Current assets:
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		3,994	4,286
Other definite-lived intangible assets, net
Current assets:
Definite-lived intangible assets, net		$ 1,205	$ 1,338

[1] Our consolidated total assets as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 include total assets of variable interest entities (VIEs) of $214 million and $233 million, respectively, which can only be used to settle the obligations of the VIEs. Our consolidated total liabilities as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020 include total liabilities of VIEs of $83 million and $60 million, respectively, for which the creditors of the VIEs have no recourse to us. See Note 9. Variable Interest Entities.