Arizona Professional Baseball owns and operates the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball franchise. The team joined Major League Baseball as a National League expansion franchise in 1998 and enjoyed early success, reaching the postseason in its second year and winning the World Series in 2001. The Diamondbacks play host at the state-of-the-art Chase Field, which features a retractable roof, air-conditioning, and a swimming pool in the outfield stands. A group led by former computer industry executive and Datatel founder Ken Kendrick has controlled the team since 2004.Between 1940 and 1990, Phoenix jumped from the 99th largest city in the nation to the 9th largest; currently 5th largest today. As such, it was frequently mentioned as a possible location for either a new or relocated MLB franchise. Baseball had a rich tradition in Arizona long before talk of bringing a big-league team even started. The state has been a frequent spring training site since 1946. With the large number of people relocating to the state from the Midwest and the Northeast, as well as from California, many teams (most notably the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers) have normally had large followings in Arizona.

Home Inns & Hotels Management aims to provide a home away from home in China. The company operates and manages about 470 economy hotels under the Home Inn banner in nearly 100 cities across the country, including most major cities and tourist destinations. The company leases properties that it develops and operates; it also franshises its brand for other hotel owners, and Home Inns then manages the properties. With more than 55,000 rooms, Home Inns locations cater to both business and leisure travelers and feature such amenities as free broadband Internet access and workspaces.

The Lemieux Group owns and operates the Pittsburgh Penguins professional hockey franchise. The team has represented the Steel City in the National Hockey League since 1967 and boasts back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. The team won a third title in 2009. Popular through good times and bad, fans root for the Pens at Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena, better known to locals as "The Igloo." Legendary forward Mario Lemieux, who played for Pittsburgh during the 1990s, has controlled the franchise since 1999.

WHI was founded in 1958 to develop Holiday Inn properties. The independent hotel management company oversees about 30 properties across the US, with a portfolio of brands such as Marriott, Doubletree, and Holiday Inn (from InterContinental Hotels Group). Its clients are mainly full-service hotels, but also include all-suite, conference center, extended-stay, and resort facilities. Its management services include financial services, operations (recruiting, training, and labor management), and sales and marketing. It also has a division devoted to construction and project management.

Starwood Vacation Ownership company operates about 15 time-share resort properties in the US, the Bahamas, and Mexico. Its resorts are located in prime vacation destination areas, such as central Florida, Colorado, and Hawaii, offering various activities for upscale travelers. Owners pay for a share of their unit with other owners and have use of the resort for certain intervals. They can also exchange their intervals for time at other resorts. Most of its properties are branded under the Sheraton and Westin brands. SVO is a subsidiary of Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Tottenham Hotspur owns and operates Tottenham Hotspur F.C., one of the top soccer teams the UK's Premier League. Founded in 1882 as Hotspur FC, the football club boasts two league titles and eight FA Cups (its last in 1991). The company also owns the team's home ground at White Hart Lane in the north of London. In addition to gate receipts and broadcasting revenue, Tottenham Hotspur generates sales through merchandise sales, marketing sponsorships, and corporate hospitality services. Chairman Daniel Levy controls the company through investment firm ENIC International.

This company puts fast-food yummies in a whole lot of tummies. YUM! Brands is the largest fast-food operator in the world in terms of number of locations, with more than 37,000 outlets in about 110 countries. (It trails only hamburger giant McDonald's in sales.) The company's flagship chains include #1 chicken fryer KFC (with more than 16,200 units), top pizza joint Pizza Hut (more than 13,200), and quick-service Mexican leader Taco Bell (more than 5,800). YUM! also operates the Long John Silver's seafood chain, along with several hundred A&W root beer and burger stands. Franchisees, affiliates, and licensed operators run about 80% of the company's restaurants.

Football Northwest owns and operates the Seattle Seahawks professional football franchise. The team joined the National Football League during the league expansion of 1976 (the same year as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) but suffered through mostly disappointing seasons until a resurgence beginning in the late 1990s. Fans were finally treated to a Super Bowl appearance following the 2005 season; however, Seattle fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers in that game. Founded by department store magnate Lloyd Nordstrom, the Seahawks franchise has been owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen since 1997.

Thomas & King is #1 in Applebee's neighborhood. The company is one the largest franchisees of Applebee's, operating about 90 of its signature restaurants. The casual dining establishments offer a variety of menu items, such as burgers, steaks, and seafood, but are most popular for their selection of appetizers. Thomas & King also operates a half dozen Johnny Carino's Italian-themed restaurants franchised from Austin, Texas-based Fired Up. Co-founded in 1988 by CEO Mike Scanlon, the company operates restaurants in Arizona, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Inspired Gaming Group Limited hopes to inspire a few punters to part with their money. Inspired Gaming Group is a leading supplier of casino gaming systems in the UK. It makes server-based gaming systems and terminals used in casinos and other gaming venues; its product portfolio includes fixed-odds games, table games, and sports-betting terminals. Inspired Gaming also makes systems for the entertainment and leisure market, as well as bingo terminals and digital vending machines. In addition to gaming systems, the company provides maintenance, installation, and other allied services. Inspired Gaming was taken private by investment firm Vitruvian Partners in 2010.

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