San Diego Aviators
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| Sport | Team tennis |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1995 (moved to San Diego in 2014) |
| Current season | 2016 |
| League | World TeamTennis |
| Conference | Western 2014–2015 Eastern 2000–2013 |
| Division | East 1995 |
| Team history |
New York OTBzz 1995–1998 Schenectady County Electrics 1999–2000 New York Buzz 2001–2010 New York Hamptons 2000–2002 New York Sportimes 2003–2013 San Diego Aviators 2014–present |
| Based in | Carlsbad, California |
| Stadium |
Omni La Costa Resort and Spa (capacity: 2,100) |
| Colors | Thunderbird red and white |
| Owner(s) | Fred Luddy (majority) Jack McGrory (minority) |
| Head coach |
John Lloyd Jim Ault (assistant) |
| General Manager | Jim Ault Tamara Sarafijanovic (assistant) |
| Championships |
3 King Trophies – 2005 (as New York Sportimes) 2008 (as New York Buzz) 2016 (as San Diego Aviators) |
| Conference titles |
0 Western Conference Championships 6 Eastern Conference Championships – 2002 (as New York OTBzz) 2005, 2006 and 2010 (as New York Sportimes) 2007 and 2008 (as New York Buzz) |
| Playoff berths |
14 (in 13 different seasons) – 1995 and 1998 (as New York OTBzz) 1999 (as Schenectady County Electrics) 2002, 2007 and 2008 (as New York Buzz) 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012 (as New York Sportimes) 2014 and 2016 (as San Diego Aviators) |
| Website | www |
The San Diego Aviators are a World TeamTennis (WTT) team that plays at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California in the United States of America. The team is the successor to two WTT franchises. The first was created in 1995, as the New York OTBzz, later renamed the Schenectady County Electrics and then the New York Buzz. The second was created in 2000, as the New York Hamptons, later renamed the New York Sportimes. The Aviators, originally founded in 1995, are the oldest continuously operating franchise in WTT. The team has won the King Trophy as WTT champions three times: once playing as the New York Sportimes in 2005, once as the New York Buzz in 2008, and once as the San Diego Aviators in 2016. As of 2016, the three championships is the second most of any active WTT franchise behind the Washington Kastles, who have won six.
The history of the San Diego Aviators begins with the 1995 WTT expansion franchise known as the New York OTBzz. The team's name was changed in 1999, to the Schenectady County Electrics and again in 2001, to the New York Buzz. The history of the Aviators also includes the 2000 WTT expansion franchise known as the New York Hamptons. That team's name was changed in 2003, to the New York Sportimes. In 2011, the Buzz and Sportimes merged with the combined team called the New York Sportimes. The combined team continued to utilize both of the former separate teams' home arenas and retained the rights to protect and retain players that had played for both formerly separate teams. In 2014, the Sportimes were sold to San Diego businessman Russell Geyser and his minority partner Jack McGrory who relocated the team and renamed it 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.
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