MLB oversees the game of professional baseball in North America that includes 30 franchises in 28 cities across the US and in Canada. The teams operate as a separate business but each is regulated and governed by MLB. The league sets official rules, regulates team ownership, and collects licensing fees for merchandise. It also sells national broadcasting rights and distributes fees to the teams. (Regional broadcast rights are held by each franchise.) MLB was formed when the rival National and American Leagues joined together in 1903.

Deep Sea Leisure owns and operates two public aquarium visitor attractions. Deep Sea World located in Fife, close to Edinburgh opened in 1983 and Blue Planet Aquarium located in Ellesmere Port near Chester opened in 1998. Deep Sea Leisure plc is majority owned by the Aspro Group which was created in 1991 with the aim of becoming the leading European leisure and entertainment consortium and is currently regarded as one of the top three operators.

Since opening our first Red Lobster restaurant in Lakeland, Fla., in 1968, Darden has grown to become the world’s largest full-service restaurant company. Through subsidiaries, own and operate 1,800 restaurants, employ approximately 180,000 people and serve more than 400 million meals a year. That last number reveals something telling about how we do business. In serving that many meals, we’ve come to know our guests extremely well. From them, we’ve realized what it takes to create an environment of natural hospitality and to build enduring brands. It’s why we’re able to make our guests feel so welcome, special and at ease.

Bill Miller Bar-B-Q Enterprises operates nearly 70 barbecue restaurants in Texas. Most of the eateries are found in San Antonio, while a handful of others are in Austin and Corpus Christi. Family patriarch Bill Miller opened his first restaurant in 1953. His sons continue to operate the business, which runs a central cooking facility in San Antonio.

The Phillies, otherwise known as the Philadelphia Phillies, is one of the least successful of the original Major League Baseball franchises, posting just seven National League pennants (including back-to-back titles in 2008 and 2009) and two World Series titles since its founding in 1883. The team earned its first championship in 1980 with the help of Hall of Fame players Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton, its second came in 2008. Despite the team's history, the Phillies boast a loyal following among Philadelphia baseball fans at Citizens Bank Park. One of six partners, chairman Bill Giles owns a controlling interest in the baseball franchise.

Whether you crave bisque on china aside the Seine or a glass of Bordeaux during opera intermission, Groupe Flo is your French connection. The company is one of France's top restaurant groups with more than 165 locations throughout the country. Groupe Flo's operations include brasseries (eateries and breweries) such as La Coupole, Le Boeuf sur le Toit, Petit Bofinger, and Le Vaudeville; the Italian-themed Bistro Romain; the steakhouse chain Hippopotamus; and event catering through its Raynier & Marchetti concessions unit. Chairman and former chef Jean-Paul Bucher and his family control almost 55% of the group.

The ancient Chinese secret behind P.F. Chang's success is upscale American service. P.F. Chang's China Bistro owns and operates about 200 full-service Asian-style bistro restaurants in about 40 states that offer lunch and dinner menus inspired by five culinary regions of China. The chain's restaurants offer stylish dining areas, display kitchens, and narrative murals based on ancient Chinese designs. The company also owns and operates more than 160 quick-casual outlets under the name Pei Wei Asian Diner. Found mostly in Texas, Connecticut, and Arizona, the eateries offer a limited menu with an emphasis on carry-out service.

Equinox Holdings (doing business as Equinox Fitness Clubs) hopes you go to the gym more than twice a year. The company owns and operates about 50 full-service, upscale fitness clubs in select US cities, about 30 of which are in New York City. Beyond the monthly membership fee, Equinox gyms earn revenue from its cafes, spa services, and on-site stores that sells sportswear. Equinox opened its first club in New York in 1991 and was originally owned by North Castle Partners. The company was bought by New York real estate developer Related for $505 million in 2006. Many of Related's new developments now have an Equinox Fitness Club in the building.

Compagnie des Alpes is one of Europe's leading leisure operators with more than 35 properties in more than half a dozen countries. Its portfolio includes 14 major skiing destinations in France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland, including Tignes, Les Arcs, and La Plagne. All its ski properties sit above 9,900 feet. Compagnie des Alpes also operates about 20 amusement and leisure parks through its Gr�vin & Cie subsidiary, including Parc Asterix and Musee Grevin. About 24 million people visit its sites each year; a majority of those visits are to the French properties. The company was formed in 1989.

Six Flags Entertainment Corporation is a publicly-traded corporation headquartered in Dallas, Texas and New York City and is the world’s largest regional theme park company with 19 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada, and soon will be expanding beyond North America with destinations in Dubai. Since 1961, hundreds of millions of families have trusted Six Flags to combine friendly-clean-fast-safe service with affordable, value-packed thrills, record-shattering roller coasters and special events like the Summer Concert Series, Fright Fest and Holiday in the Park.

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