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{{Short description|Professional tennis team in New York, United States}}
{{Infobox sports team
| team = New York Buzz
| logo = New York Buzz logo.svg
| pixels = 150px
| founded = 1995
|
| current = 2016 San Diego Aviators season
| league = [[World TeamTennis]]
| conference = Eastern<br>(2000 to 2010)
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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.<ref name=merger>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtt.com/page.aspx?article_id=2411|title=New York Sportimes to Play Two Matches in Albany This Summer as World TeamTennis' New York Teams Consolidate|work=[[World TeamTennis]]|date=February 14, 2011|
==Team history of the New York Buzz up to the 2011 merger with the New York Sportimes==
===Early years as New York OTBzz===
[[File:New_York_OTBzz_World_TeamTennis_team_logo.jpg|left|thumb|upright|New York OTBzz logo used from 1995 to 1998.]]
The New York OTBzz were founded by Nitty Singh as a WTT expansion franchise in 1995. The team was named pursuant to a [[sponsor (commercial)|sponsorship]] [[contract|agreement]] with the [[Capital OTB|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.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gray|first=Buzz|title=OTBzz Eye Revenge against Twist Today|url=http://alb.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=5734029|
For their first 13 seasons (1995–2007), the OTBzz played most of their home matches outdoors at Central Park Tennis Stadium in [[Schenectady, New York]].<ref name=CP>{{cite news|last=Stashenko|first=Joel|title=Schenectady Will Require Commitment from WTT Franchise|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2005/08/01/daily20.html|
In 1996, Dave Randall was the only one of the OTBzz's four regular players from the successful 1995 team to return, and New York dropped off to a record of 5 wins and 7 losses, fifth in WTT, and missed the playoffs. The OTBzz finished 1997, with 5 wins and 9 losses, sixth in WTT, and again missed the playoffs.<ref name=1998preview />
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===Name change to Schenectady County Electrics===
[[File:Schenectady_County_Electrics_World_TeamTennis_team_logo.jpg|thumb|upright|Schenectady County Electrics logo used from 1999 to 2000.]]
Following the 1998 season, Capital District Off-Track Betting Corp. withdrew from its sponsorship agreement with the OTBzz, and the team changed its name to the Schenectady County Electrics for the 1999 season. The name of the team's location was changed from New York to Schenectady County in exchange for a subsidy approved by the Schenectady County legislature.<ref>{{cite news|title=Knowing the Score|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/1999/01/11/editorial3.html|
The Electrics drafted the legendary Martina Navratilova as their marquee player prior to the 1999 season. Navratilova committed to play two matches.<ref>{{cite news|last=Gray|first=Buzz|title=Electrics Land Ace Navratilova|url=http://alb.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=5981236|
The Electrics protected Navratilova for the 2000 season, and she was the only holdover player from the previous year. In the marquee player draft, the Electrics selected [[Mary Pierce]], then ranked number 4 in the world, and Pierce committed to play at least three matches. In the roster draft, the Electrics selected [[Rita Grande]], then the number 1 [[Italians|Italian]] player, [[Nannie DeVilliers]], former WTT male rookie of the year [[Michael Hill (tennis)|Michael Hill]] and [[Brent Haygarth]]. The Electrics traded their own former male rookie of the year, Geoff Grant, to the [[Delaware Smash]] for cash [[consideration]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Gray|first=Buzz|title=New Lights around Fixed Star|url=http://alb.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6013614|
===Name change to New York Buzz===
Following the 2000 season, the Electrics were renamed the New York Buzz. The Buzz continued to retain the rights to Martina Navratilova, but for the second consecutive season, she was the only returning player. The new players selected by the Buzz in the roster draft were [[Mahesh Bhupathi]] (frequent mixed doubles partner of Navratilova), [[Justin Bower]], [[Jana Nejedly]] (top ranked Canadian female at the time) and 1996 [[NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship|NCAA]] singles champion [[Jill Craybas]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Buzz Selects WTT Roster|url=http://alb.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6102092|
===Eastern Conference Championship===
Prior to the 2002 season, improvements were made to Central Park Tennis Stadium, and the venue was renamed Central Park MVP Stadium. The Buzz selected former world number 1 [[Lindsay Davenport]] (ranked number 9 at the time) as their marquee player replacing Navratilova.<ref>{{cite news|last=Singelais|first=Mark|title=Buzzing over Her Return|url=http://alb.merlinone.net/mweb/wmsql.wm.request?oneimage&imageid=6180675|
===Buzz falls on hard times===
[[Boris Becker]] was chosen by the Buzz in the 2003 marquee player draft. Nannie DeVilliers and Justin Bower returned from the 2002 Eastern Conference Champions. [[Donald Johnson (tennis)|Don Johnson]] and [[Eva Dyrberg]] were the other newcomers. Jolene Watanabe was named the new coach of the Buzz becoming the first female coach in WTT history.<ref name=2003draft>{{cite web|url=http://www.missourivalley.usta.com/News/2003_04/29968_WTT_Announces_2003_Rosters__Schedules|title=WTT Announces 2003 Rosters & Schedules|work=[[United States Tennis Association]]|date=April 4, 2003|
Martina Navratilova returned to the Buzz for the 2004 season after a four-year absence when she was selected in the marquee player draft. Justin Bower was the only returning player from the previous season. [[Marissa Irvin]], [[Bryanne Stewart]] and [[Shaun Rudman]] made up the rest of the team.<ref name=2004draft>{{cite web|url=http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3019750|title=World TeamTennis Announces 2004 Marquee/Draft Picks|work=Our Sports Central|date=April 7, 2004|
In 2005, [[Jim Courier]] was selected by the Buzz as its marquee player. Bryanne Stewart was the only player returning from the previous season. [[Evie Dominikovic]], [[Brian Vahaly]] and [[Jaymon Crabb]] were newcomers.<ref name=2005draft>{{cite web|url=http://www.usta.com/Active/News/Pro-Tennis/163096_Steffi_Grafs_WTT_Debut_Highlights_2005_WTT_Pro_League_Draft|title=Steffi Graf’s WTT Debut Highlights 2005 WTT Pro League Draft|work=[[United States Tennis Association]]|date=March 29, 2005|
For the 2006 season, Central Park MVP Stadium was renamed CDPHP Tennis Complex pursuant to a sponsorship agreement with Capital District Physicians Health Plan.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Name for Schenectady Tennis Complex|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2006/06/26/daily45.html|
===Another Eastern Conference Championship===
The Buzz completely remade its roster again in 2007. For the second straight year, the team elected to pass on making a selection in the marquee player draft. Julie Ditty was traded to the Boston Lobsters. The Buzz selected 2005 WTT Rookie of the Year [[Rik de Voest]] in the first round of the roster draft and [[Ashley Fisher]] in the second round. In the third round, the Buzz traded down in exchange for cash consideration from the [[Newport Beach Breakers]]. The Breakers used the Buzz's number 2 pick to select [[Lauren Albanese]] while the Buzz used the Breakers' number 10 choice to take [[Gabriela Navrátilová]]. The Buzz drafted [[Gréta Arn]] in the fourth round.<ref name=2007draft>{{cite web|url=http://www.wttrec.com/news/news_info.asp?news_id=265|title=World TeamTennis Finalizes Rosters at WTT Player Draft|work=[[World TeamTennis]]|
The Buzz squared off against the Freedoms in the Eastern Conference Championship Match. The Buzz fell behind 10–6 after two sets losing mixed doubles and women's doubles. In the third set, de Voest and Fisher topped [[Frédéric Niemeyer]] and [[Daniel Nestor]] in men's doubles, 5–2, to cut the Freedoms' lead to 12–11 at halftime. [[Olga Savchuk]] won a tiebreaker against Arn to take women's singles, 5–4, and give the Freedoms a 17–15 lead heading to the final set. De Voest stepped up big taking the men's singles from Niemeyer, 5–2, to squeeze out a 20–19 victory and give the Buzz their second Eastern Conference Championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php?t=98728|title=World Team Tennis (July 5-29, 2007)|work=Mens Tennis Forums|date=August 6, 2007|
The following day, the Buzz played in its third WTT Final, and for the third time, it met the Sacramento Capitals. The Capitals won the first four sets, three of them in tiebreakers, to take a 20–15 lead to the final set. De Voest and Fisher beat [[Mark Knowles]] and [[Sam Warburg]] in men's doubles, 5–3 to take that final set and send the match to overtime with the Capitals leading 23–20. Knowles and Warburg won the first game of overtime to give the Capitals the title, 24–20. Despite the Buzz's loss, de Voest was named WTT Championship Most Valuable Player.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tennisindustrymag.com/news/2007/08/sacramento_capitals_capture_wt.html|title=Sacramento Capitals Capture WTT Championship with 24-20 Win over New York Buzz|work=Tennis Industry|date=August 1, 2007|
===Move to Albany and first King Trophy===
{{Main|2008 New York Buzz season}}
For the 2008 season, the defending Eastern Conference Champion Buzz moved to the larger [[Washington Avenue Armory|Washington Avenue Armory Sports and Convention Center]] in [[Albany, New York]]. Buzz ownership said that it moved to the air-conditioned indoor arena which seats about 4,000 people for tennis, because it has secure parking to serve the team's growing fan base and to "give the team much more visibility and awareness and help increase the level of hospitality the Buzz wish to provide."<ref>{{cite news|title=Buzz Pro Tennis Team Will Call Washington Avenue Armory Home|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2008/05/05/daily51.html|
For the third straight season, the Buzz passed on selecting a player in the marquee player draft. Gabriela Navrátilová was the only player returning from the previous season's conference champions. [[Yaroslava Shvedova]] was selected in the first round of the roster player draft, and [[Nathan Healey]] was taken in the second round. Navrátilová was taken as a protected pick in the third round, and [[Vladimir Obradović (tennis player)|Vladimir Obradović]] was the final selection. Jay Udwadia was named new coach of the Buzz.<ref name=2008draft>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtt.com/page.aspx?article_id=697|title=World TeamTennis Finalizes Rosters at WTT Player Draft|work=[[World TeamTennis]]|date=April 1, 2008|
A change in the WTT playoff format
As the number 2 overall seed in the WTT playoffs, the Buzz was matched against the number 3 seeded Sportimes. In the first ever postseason matchup between the two New York clubs, the Buzz dominated the match winning the first four sets. Nathan Healey and Yaroslava Shvedova opened the match with a 5–3 set win against [[John McEnroe]] and [[Hana Šromová]] in mixed doubles. Shvedova followed with a 5–2 women's singles win over [[Ashley Harkleroad]]. Healy took care of [[Jesse Witten]], 5–2, in men's singles. Gabriela Navrátilová and Shvedova needed a tiebreaker to beat Harkleroad and Šromová, 5–4, and give the Buzz a 20–11 lead heading to the final set. McEnroe and Witten won a tiebreaker over Patrick Briaud and Healy in the men's doubles to force overtime with the Buzz leading 24–16. Briaud and Healy won the second game of overtime to give the Buzz a 25–17 victory and send it to its fourth WTT Final.<ref name=NYNY>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtt.com/page.aspx?article_id=931|title=New York Buzz Advances to WTT Final with 25-17 Win over New York Sportimes|work=[[World TeamTennis]]|date=July 26, 2008|
In the WTT Final, the Buzz faced the [[Kansas City Explorers]] who were coming off a regular season record of 13 wins and 1 loss and thrashed the defending champion Sacramento Capitals 21–10 in the semifinals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtt.com/page.aspx?article_id=929|title=Kansas City Explorers Advance to 2008 WTT Final|work=[[World TeamTennis]]|date=July 25, 2008|
===Another move===
After just one season at the Washington Avenue Armory, the Buzz moved again to [[SEFCU Arena]] in [[Guilderland, New York]] on the campus of the [[University at Albany, SUNY|University at Albany]].<ref>{{cite news|title=NY Buzz to Call UAlbany Home|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2009/02/02/daily18.html|
In 2009, the Buzz continued its practice of passing on drafting a marquee player. Despite being the defending WTT champions, the Buzz did not protect any of their players from the previous year's team. Instead, it drafted four new players in the roster draft and put together the youngest team in WTT history. In the order selected, the players drafted by the Buzz and their ages at the time were [[Sloane Stephens]], 16, [[Christina McHale]], 16, [[Evan King]], 17, and [[Alex Domijan]], 17. Roger Smith, who played for the OTBzz in their inaugural 1995 season was named the new Buzz coach. After the roster draft, Buzz owner Nitty Singh said, “We are extremely excited to showcase America’s finest juniors on our New York Buzz team this season. This keeps with our tradition of presenting the game’s future stars such as [[Andre Agassi]], [[Pete Sampras]] and Lindsay Davenport who also played tournaments here in the [[Capital District, New York|Capital Region]] during the early part of their careers.”<ref name=2009draft>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtt.com/page.aspx?article_id=1112|title=Junior Team Highlights Roster Draft|work=[[World TeamTennis]]|date=March 31, 2009|
===Martina Hingis plays full-time for the Buzz===
The Buzz selected former world number 1 [[Martina Hingis]] in the 2010 marquee player draft, and Hingis committed to playing full-time. Alex Domijan was the only player to return from the 2009 squad. Although he wasn't protected by the Buzz, the team chose him in the third round of the roster draft. In the first two rounds, the Buzz selected [[Scoville Jenkins]] and [[Sarah Borwell]]. With Hingis committed to playing full-time, the Buzz didn't need its fourth round choice in the roster draft and sold the pick to the Sacramento Capitals for cash consideration. Jay Udwadia, who coached the Buzz to its only WTT championship in 2008, returned as the team's coach after a one-year absence.<ref name=2010draft>{{cite web|url=http://www.wtt.com/page.aspx?article_id=1727|title=2010 Draft Grid|work=[[World TeamTennis]]|date=March 16, 2010|
===Merger with Sportimes===
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200"
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200"
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200"
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200"
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200"
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200"
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200"
|-
| 1995 || align="left"| New York OTBzz || 10 || 6 || .625 || Lost in WTT Semifinals ||
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|-
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200" rowspan="2
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200" rowspan="2
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200" colspan="2"| Duration
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200" rowspan="2
|-
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200
|-
| CDPHP Tennis Complex{{refn|group=Note|name=CDPHP|The stadium was called Central Park Tennis Stadium from 1995 to 2001. It was called Central Park MVP Stadium from 2002 to 2005. It was renamed CDPHP Tennis Complex before the 2006 season.}} || [[Schenectady, New York]] || align="center"| 1995 || align="center"| 2007 || Primary home venue
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|-
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200"
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200"
!style="background:#006bb6; color:#fff200"
|-
| align="center"| 1995 || [[Brenda Schultz-McCarthy]] || Female Rookie of the Year
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{{World TeamTennis}}
[[Category:
[[Category:Sports in Albany, New York]]
[[Category:Tennis in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams in New York (state)|Buzz]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams established in 1995]]
[[Category:1995 establishments in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Sports clubs and teams disestablished in 2011]]
[[Category:2011 disestablishments in New York (state)]]
|