Founded | 1995 |
---|---|
Current season | 2016 |
League | World TeamTennis |
Conference | Eastern (2000 to 2010) |
Team history |
New York OTBzz 1995–1998 Schenectady County Electrics 1999–2000 New York Buzz 2001–2010 New York Sportimes 2011–2013 San Diego Aviators 2014–present |
Based in | Guilderland, New York |
Stadium |
SEFCU Arena (Capacity: 2,100) |
Colors |
Black, royal blue, yellow, alizarin crimson |
Owner(s) | Nitty Singh |
President | Nitty Singh |
Head coach | Jay Udwadia |
Championships | 2008 |
Conference titles | 3 Eastern Conference Championships 2002, 2007, 2008 |
Playoff berths | 6 – 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2007, 2008 |
Website | www |
Black, royal blue, yellow, alizarin crimson
The New York Buzz was a professional tennis team competing in World TeamTennis (WTT). The team was originally based in Schenectady, New York from 1995 to 2007, before moving to Albany, New York in 2008, and Guilderland, New York in 2009. The team was founded as the New York OTBzz in 1995, before changing its name to the Schenectady County Electrics in 1999, and finally adopting the name New York Buzz in 2001. In 2008, the team won its third Eastern Conference Championship and went on to defeat the Kansas City Explorers to capture its first and only King Trophy in its fourth appearance in the WTT Final.
On February 14, 2011, WTT announced that the New York Buzz and New York Sportimes had merged and would play the 2011 season as the New York Sportimes. In the three seasons following the merger, the Sportimes played home matches in both New York City and the Capital District every year. In 2013, a majority (five of seven) of the Sportimes' home matches were played in Guilderland. On January 16, 2014, Claude Okin, CEO of the New York Sportimes announced that the franchise had been sold to businessman Russell Geyser and his minority partner Jack McGrory, and the team would be relocated to San Diego, California and renamed the San Diego Aviators.
The New York OTBzz were founded by Nitty Singh as a WTT expansion franchise in 1995. The team was named pursuant to a sponsorship agreement with the Capital Region Off-Track Betting Corp. The OTBzz made their debut with a 23–21 overtime loss on the road against the Florida Twist at the Country Club of Sarasota Tennis Center in Sarasota, Florida on July 14, 1995. Their home debut the following day resulted in a victory against the Charlotte Express. The four primary players for the OTBzz during their first season were Brenda Schultz-McCarthy, Roger Smith, Dave Randall and Rachel Jensen. Schultz-McCarty and Randall were the top-ranked mixed doubles team in WTT in 1995. The OTBzz finished their first regular season with 10 wins and 6 losses, second in the East Division, and lost 28–19 in the semifinals to the defending champion New Jersey Stars who went on to repeat as champions led by Martina Navratilova. Schultz-McCarthy was named WTT Female Rookie of the Year.