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New Orleans Sun Belt Nets
The New Orleans Sun Belt Nets were a charter franchise of World Team Tennis (WTT). The team first played as the Cleveland Nets in 1974, and was known as the Cleveland–Pittsburgh Nets in 1977, when it played roughly half of its home matches in each city. The Nets moved to New Orleans for the 1978 season. Following the 1978 season, the Nets announced that the team would fold. The Nets played all five seasons in WTT from the league's inception in 1974, until its suspension of operations after the 1978 season. The team had losing records in each of its five seasons.
The Nets were founded as WTT's charter franchise for Cincinnati, Ohio in 1973, by Bill DeWitt Jr. and Brian Heekin. Within weeks of being established, and before the team ever had a name in Cincinnati, DeWitt and Heekin sold it to Cleveland radio executive Joseph Zingale who paid them the same $50,000 as the franchise fee they had paid to WTT. Zingale relocated the team to Cleveland with a plan to have it play its home matches at the Cleveland Public Hall starting with the league's inaugural 1974 season and name it the Cleveland Nets. Before the draft, Zingale spoke to Clark Graebner, a native of Cleveland, about playing for the team as well as to being its coach and general manager. Graebner insisted his wife, Carole, had to be drafted by the team as well. The Nets selected them both as a pair in the fourth round of the draft. No other WTT team objected to the Nets selecting two players with one draft choice. When Clark and Carole Graebner separated, Clark traded Carole to the Pittsburgh Triangles. The couple never divorced, and Carole Graebner died in 2008. Peaches Bartkowicz was a key women's doubles player for the 1974 Nets but quit the team during the season. Through all the drama, the Nets finished with 21 wins and 23 losses, third in the Atlantic Section and snuck into the playoffs.
WTT division semifinals and division championship series in 1974, were played over two legs, one match on the home court of each team. The team with the best aggregate score over the two matches was the winner. The Nets met the Philadelphia Freedoms in the Eastern Division Semifinals. The Freedoms had the best regular-season record in the league and were led by WTT Most Valuable Player Billie Jean King. As the higher seed, the Freedoms had the choice to play either the first or the second match at home. Despite playing two tight matches, the Nets lost them both, 26–22 at home and 23–22 in Philadelphia, and saw their season come to an end.
Clark Graebner's Northwestern Wildcats college teammate Marty Riessen joined the Nets for the 1975 season as a player and the team's new coach. Although Graebner was relieved of coaching duties, he remained with the team as a player. Riessen had been drafted by the Chicago Aces in 1974, but he decided not to sign with the team. The Aces lost the rights to him when they folded after the 1974 season.
In addition to their new coach, the Nets also got a new home for 1975, as they moved into the brand-new Coliseum at Richfield in Richfield Township, Summit County, Ohio.
Riessen was a big success between the lines. He was named Male All-Star Match Most Valuable Player, led the WTT in game-winning percentage in men's singles and was named Male Rookie of the Year.
Despite Riessen's excellent play, the Nets finished with 16 wins and 28 losses, last place in the Eastern Division and missed the playoffs.
Prior to the 1976 season, the Nets signed 19-year-old Martina Navratilova to a $150,000 contract and gave her a large diamond pendant in the shape of a "#1." Navratilova had defected from Czechoslovakia the previous year. Despite the presence of Navratilova, the Nets endured another losing season finishing with 20 wins and 24 losses, third place in the Eastern Division and missed the playoffs.
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New Orleans Sun Belt Nets
The New Orleans Sun Belt Nets were a charter franchise of World Team Tennis (WTT). The team first played as the Cleveland Nets in 1974, and was known as the Cleveland–Pittsburgh Nets in 1977, when it played roughly half of its home matches in each city. The Nets moved to New Orleans for the 1978 season. Following the 1978 season, the Nets announced that the team would fold. The Nets played all five seasons in WTT from the league's inception in 1974, until its suspension of operations after the 1978 season. The team had losing records in each of its five seasons.
The Nets were founded as WTT's charter franchise for Cincinnati, Ohio in 1973, by Bill DeWitt Jr. and Brian Heekin. Within weeks of being established, and before the team ever had a name in Cincinnati, DeWitt and Heekin sold it to Cleveland radio executive Joseph Zingale who paid them the same $50,000 as the franchise fee they had paid to WTT. Zingale relocated the team to Cleveland with a plan to have it play its home matches at the Cleveland Public Hall starting with the league's inaugural 1974 season and name it the Cleveland Nets. Before the draft, Zingale spoke to Clark Graebner, a native of Cleveland, about playing for the team as well as to being its coach and general manager. Graebner insisted his wife, Carole, had to be drafted by the team as well. The Nets selected them both as a pair in the fourth round of the draft. No other WTT team objected to the Nets selecting two players with one draft choice. When Clark and Carole Graebner separated, Clark traded Carole to the Pittsburgh Triangles. The couple never divorced, and Carole Graebner died in 2008. Peaches Bartkowicz was a key women's doubles player for the 1974 Nets but quit the team during the season. Through all the drama, the Nets finished with 21 wins and 23 losses, third in the Atlantic Section and snuck into the playoffs.
WTT division semifinals and division championship series in 1974, were played over two legs, one match on the home court of each team. The team with the best aggregate score over the two matches was the winner. The Nets met the Philadelphia Freedoms in the Eastern Division Semifinals. The Freedoms had the best regular-season record in the league and were led by WTT Most Valuable Player Billie Jean King. As the higher seed, the Freedoms had the choice to play either the first or the second match at home. Despite playing two tight matches, the Nets lost them both, 26–22 at home and 23–22 in Philadelphia, and saw their season come to an end.
Clark Graebner's Northwestern Wildcats college teammate Marty Riessen joined the Nets for the 1975 season as a player and the team's new coach. Although Graebner was relieved of coaching duties, he remained with the team as a player. Riessen had been drafted by the Chicago Aces in 1974, but he decided not to sign with the team. The Aces lost the rights to him when they folded after the 1974 season.
In addition to their new coach, the Nets also got a new home for 1975, as they moved into the brand-new Coliseum at Richfield in Richfield Township, Summit County, Ohio.
Riessen was a big success between the lines. He was named Male All-Star Match Most Valuable Player, led the WTT in game-winning percentage in men's singles and was named Male Rookie of the Year.
Despite Riessen's excellent play, the Nets finished with 16 wins and 28 losses, last place in the Eastern Division and missed the playoffs.
Prior to the 1976 season, the Nets signed 19-year-old Martina Navratilova to a $150,000 contract and gave her a large diamond pendant in the shape of a "#1." Navratilova had defected from Czechoslovakia the previous year. Despite the presence of Navratilova, the Nets endured another losing season finishing with 20 wins and 24 losses, third place in the Eastern Division and missed the playoffs.