The National Basketball Association is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, with 30 teams representing 28 US markets and one in Canada. It oversees the rules of the game and officiating, markets its teams and players, and regulates franchise ownership. The NBA also licenses broadcasting rights and collects revenue from corporate sponsorships. In addition, it operates the WNBA, a 12-team women's league; the NBA Development League for up-and-coming players; and NBA TV, a cable TV channel offering news, original programming, and live game broadcasts. The NBA was founded as the Basketball Association of America in 1946.

Planet Smoothie Franchises operates a chain of more than 125 franchised smoothie stands in about 20 states. The outlets offer about 30 types of blended fruit drinks with such names as Frozen Goat, Mr. Mongo, and Spazz. Enthusiasts can customize the beverages by adding blends of supplements and vitamins (Blasts) designed to increase energy, help burn fat, or aid immune systems. Planet Smoothie Franchises, LLC also has a small number of Planet Smoothie Cafes featuring salads, sandwiches, and wraps. Entrepreneur Martin Sprock opened the first Planet Smoothie in 1995. Planet Smoothie Franchises, LLC is owned by Petrus Brands, a holding company backed by private equity firm Edmonds Capital.

Consilience Restaurants owns and operates a small portfolio of upscale dining and drinking spots in the Dallas area. Its restaurants include the Cuba Libre Café, Hibiscus, The Porch, and Westside Tavern. Consilient Restaurants, L.P. also operates Victor Tango's, an upscale cocktail bar. In addition to its signature destinations, Consilience Restaurants operates a small chain of gourmet pizza joints under the name Fireside Pies. CEO Tristan Simon founded the restaurant company in 1999.

Gators might come to mind first when you think of Florida sports, but these big cats have a following, too. The Jacksonville Jaguars joined the National Football League as an expansion franchise in 1995, along with the Carolina Panthers. The team quickly gained respect by securing playoff berths the following four years, but the Jags have struggled to be a consistent contender in the years since. The team plays host at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium. Wayne Weaver, chairman and majority owner of retailer Shoe Carnival, owns 48% of the team, while a group of local businessmen owns the rest.

Hard Rock Hotel Holdings, LLC, through its subsidiary, Hard Rock Hotel, Inc., owns and operates Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. It operates Hard Rock Hotel and Casino as an entertainment resort with a rock music theme. As of December 31, 2009, the company’s resort consisted of 3 hotel towers with approximately 1,500 furnished hotel rooms; a casino with 835 slot machines and 125 table games; poker lounge with 18 tables, connected bar, retail store, a jewelry store, a lingerie store, a nightclub, a rock n’ roll bar, a banquet and meeting facility, a music concert hall, a beach club, 6 restaurants, 8 cocktail lounges, and a spa/salon/fitness center.

Club de hockey Canadien owns and operates the Montreal Canadiens, one of the oldest and most storied franchises in the National Hockey League. Since its formation in 1909, the team has won a record 24 Stanley Cup championships, second only to the New York Yankees as the most successful sports team in North America. The Canadiens play host at Montreal's Bell Center. Canada's Molson family, led by brothers Geoff, Andrew, and Justin Molson, acquired the team from American businessman George Gillett, Jr., in 2009.

Major League Soccer brings the world's most popular sport to the shores of the US. Created in 1993, the 19-team league competes from March to October, culminating with the MLS Cup championship. MLS oversees rules and scheduling, regulates franchise ownership, and negotiates marketing and broadcasting partnerships. Many of the games are broadcast on ABC and ESPN (both owned by Walt Disney); Fox Soccer Channel (part of News Corporation's FOX Sports Net) also telecasts some live MLS matches. The league is part of the U.S. Soccer Federation, which oversees the sport in the US as a member of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

Aloha Restaurants operates eight casual dining establishments in Southern California and Hawaii. Its concepts include Busters Beach House & Longboard Bar, Dockside Grill Restaurant, Jolly Roger Restaurant, and the Monterey Bay Canners Restaurant. The company's eateries feature a mix of seafood, pasta, and other casual dining staples. Most locations offer both lunch and dinner menus; live music and other entertainment can also be found at some of the venues.

Gondola Group is the leading UK casual dining group operating PizzaExpress, ASK, Zizzi, BYRON and Kettners, together with a number of smaller brands.The Group employs approximately 13,500 people, serving over 38 million meals a year in over 600 restaurants. Hop aboard this company to take an epicurean journey to Italy. Gondola Group operates more than 580 casual dining restaurants in the UK under the banners PizzaExpress, ASK, and Zizzi. PizzaExpress is a leading purveyor of gourmet pizzas with about 350 locations designed to appeal to hip urbanites, while ASK is popular for its broad menu of Italian pasta and pizza favorites served at more than 110 units. Zizzi, with about 100 outposts, offers authentic dishes Italian served in an upscale, contemporary setting. Gondola is controlled by private equity firm Cinven.

Grand Prix Association of Long Beach stages the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, an annual motorsports competition the takes place on the streets of downtown Long Beach, California. The race, first run in 1975, draws about 150,000 spectators, among the highest for open-wheeled racing competitions in the US. The Toyota Grand Prix is typically held in April; the weekend of racing also features a celebrity race and a sports car competition among other events. Grand Prix Association of Long Beach is owned by former Champ Car World Series principles Kevin Kalkoven and Gerald Forsythe through Aquarium Asset Management.

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