FreeWheel is owned by Comcast Corporation, which acquired it in March 2014 for approximately $360 million. It operates inside the Comcast Advertising division.

Is FreeWheel part of NBCUniversal?

No. FreeWheel sits within Comcast Advertising, a Comcast-level division separate from NBCUniversal's content operations, though it serves NBCUniversal properties alongside third-party clients.

What does FreeWheel do?

FreeWheel provides the ad server and monetization platform for premium TV and video. Broadcasters and streaming services use it to manage ad inventory, run programmatic sales, and optimize yield across linear and streaming distribution.

When was FreeWheel founded?

FreeWheel was founded in 2007 by Doug Knopper, Jon Heller, and Diane Yu. Comcast acquired it in 2014.

Where is FreeWheel headquartered?

FreeWheel is headquartered in New York City and maintains offices across nine countries, including Philadelphia, Chicago, London, Paris, Berlin, Milan, and Beijing.

Is FreeWheel publicly traded?

No. FreeWheel is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation, which trades on Nasdaq under the ticker CMCSA. FreeWheel has no separate listing.

Media & Entertainment

Who Owns FreeWheel?

FreeWheel is owned by Comcast Corporation, the Philadelphia-based media and technology conglomerate that acquired it in 2014 for approximately $360 million. Headquartered in New York, FreeWheel operates within Comcast Advertising as the central ad technology unit, providing ad serving, yield management, and programmatic tools for premium TV and streaming video.

Parent Company

Comcast Corporation

Acquired

2014

Status

Publicly Traded

Headquarters

New York, New York, USA

FreeWheel Timeline

1963

Comcast Corporation

Parent company established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company Founded

2007

FreeWheel

Founded by Doug Knopper, Jon Heller, Diane Yu

Founded

2014

Acquired by Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation acquired FreeWheel

Acquired

GlobalOfficial Website

Who Owns FreeWheel?

Parent Company: Comcast Corporation
Ownership Type: Subsidiary
Acquisition Year: 2014
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock Ticker: NASDAQ: CMCSA

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
FreeWheel	Comcast Corporation	Subsidiary

Where to Buy

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FreeWheel on Amazon

History of FreeWheel

Founded: 2007
Founders: Doug Knopper, Jon Heller, Diane Yu
Acquired by Comcast Corporation: 2014

FreeWheel was founded in 2007 by Doug Knopper, Jon Heller, and Diane Yu, three veterans of the early digital advertising industry. The founding insight was that premium video, then migrating from broadcast to the internet, needed dedicated ad serving and rights management rather than repurposed display ad technology. Early customers included major US broadcasters and cable networks putting full episodes online.

Through its first several years FreeWheel built the standard ad server for premium video, adding yield optimization, audience targeting, and eventually programmatic capabilities. It expanded internationally with offices in Europe and Asia and became deeply embedded in the ad operations of large media companies.

Comcast acquired FreeWheel in March 2014 for roughly $360 million. The deal gave Comcast a technology platform beyond its own footprint, since FreeWheel continued serving third-party broadcasters and platforms, including some of Comcast's competitors. Within Comcast the unit was grouped first with the Advanced Advertising Group alongside Strata and Visible World in 2017, then inside the Comcast Advertising structure.

In 2025 Comcast consolidated its advertising businesses under the Comcast Advertising name, positioning FreeWheel as the central technology stack. That year it launched FreeWheel Buyer Cloud access for linear TV bidding and expanded international operations under Comcast Advertising International. Through 2026 the platform has been marketed around converged linear-plus-streaming ad management and AI-assisted audience discovery.

About Comcast Corporation

Who owns Comcast?
Comcast is a publicly traded company with no parent company. Brian L. Roberts, son of founder Ralph J. Roberts, serves as Chairman and co-CEO. The Roberts family holds Class B shares with enhanced voting rights. As of January 15, 2026, there were approximately 3.59 billion Class A shares and 9.4 million Class B shares outstanding.

Is Comcast publicly traded?
Yes. Comcast trades on NASDAQ under ticker symbol CMCSA. The company is a component of the S&P 500. As of June 30, 2025, the aggregate market value of shares held by non-affiliates was approximately $130.7 billion.

What is Comcast's annual revenue?
For FY2025, Comcast reported revenue of $123.7 billion, essentially flat compared to FY2024. Net income attributable to Comcast was $20.0 billion, up 23.5% from $16.2 billion in FY2024. Free cash flow reached a record $19.2 billion.

What is Versant Media Group?
On January 2, 2026, Comcast completed the tax-free separation of Versant Media Group (Nasdaq: VSNT), spinning off its cable television networks including CNBC, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), USA Network, Golf Channel, E!, SYFY, and Oxygen, along with digital platforms including GolfNow, Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, and SportsEngine. Comcast shareholders received one share of Versant for every 25 shares of Comcast.

What does Comcast own?
Comcast owns Xfinity (U.S. broadband, wireless, and video), Comcast Business, Sky (European telecommunications and media), NBC, Telemundo, Peacock, Universal Pictures, Universal Destinations and Experiences theme parks, and Bravo. Cable networks including CNBC, MSNBC, USA Network, E!, SYFY, Oxygen, and Golf Channel were spun off into Versant Media Group in January 2026.

Who is the CEO of Comcast?
Brian L. Roberts and Mike Cavanagh serve as co-CEOs of Comcast Corporation. Roberts also serves as Chairman. Roberts has been CEO since 2002 and is the son of founder Ralph J. Roberts.

How many people does Comcast employ?
As of December 31, 2025, Comcast had approximately 179,000 full-time and part-time employees on a full-time equivalent basis. Approximately 30% of employees were located in over 30 countries outside the United States.

What is Peacock?
Peacock is Comcast's streaming service, launched in 2020. As of FY2025, Peacock had 44 million paid subscribers, up 22% year-over-year, with revenue of $5.4 billion. Peacock features sports content including the NFL, Premier League, and the NBA, which debuted on NBC and Peacock in 2025. Adjusted EBITDA losses improved by over $700 million in FY2025.

Founded: 1963
Headquarters: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock: NASDAQ: CMCSA
Revenue: $123.7 billion (FY2025)
Employees: Approximately 179,000

Visit Comcast Corporation website

View full company profile for Comcast Corporation

Where Is FreeWheel Made / Based?

Headquarters: New York, New York, USA

FreeWheel Categories & Tags

Ad Tech Video Advertising Programmatic Ad Server Connected Tv

FreeWheel Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Comcast ownership provides deep capital resources and long-term stability
+Embedded inside one of the largest TV advertising businesses in the world
+Continues to serve third-party broadcasters, preserving its platform neutrality
+Global footprint across nine countries supports multinational clients

Considerations

-Owned by a company that competes with some of its clients in media and advertising
-No standalone financials, so independent performance is opaque
-Corporate restructuring inside Comcast Advertising can shift priorities
-Premium video focus limits exposure to the broader open-web programmatic market

Frequently Asked Questions About FreeWheel

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to FreeWheel

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Primis	Interpublic Group	Israel	2007	Mass market	Global	All Genders
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Ezoic	Ezoic	USA	2010	Mass market	Global	All Genders
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Mediavine	Mediavine	USA	2004	Mass market	United states	All Genders