A wild card is a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that fails to qualify in the normal way; for example, by having a high ranking or winning a qualifying stage. In some events, wildcards are chosen freely by the organizers. Other events have fixed rules. Some North American professional sports leagues compare the records of teams which did not qualify directly by winning a division or conference.
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.
The New York Sportimes were a professional tennis team competing in World TeamTennis (WTT). The team was originally based in eastern Long Island from 2000 to 2002, before moving to Westchester County, New York in 2003, and then to New York City in 2009. The team was founded as the New York Hamptons in 2000, before changing its name to the New York Sportimes in 2003. In 2005, the team made its first playoff appearance and went on to defeat the Newport Beach Breakers in the WTT Final to win its first King Trophy.
The MLS Cup Playoffs is the annual postseason elimination tournament of Major League Soccer. The MLS Cup, the league's championship game, is the final match of the tournament. Under the current format adopted for the 2023 season, 18 teams qualify for the tournament based on regular-season point totals — the nine highest-placed teams from each the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. Audi is the title sponsor of this tournament.
The Washington Kastles is one of eight franchises that compete in World TeamTennis. Founded in 2008 and based in Washington, D.C., the Kastles won the WTT championship six times. The team is named for Kastle Systems, the office security company owned by team owner Mark Ein.
The 2010 World TeamTennis season was the 35th season of the top professional tennis league in the United States.
The 2011 World TeamTennis season was the 36th season of the top professional tennis league in the United States. Before the start of the 2011 season, the New York Buzz and the New York Sportimes merged into one New York team, the NY Sportimes.
Steve Johnson Jr. is an American professional tennis player. For one week in August 2016 he was the top-ranked American in men's singles. He has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 21 achieved on July 25, 2016, and a doubles ranking of world No. 39 achieved on May 23, 2016. He has won four ATP Challenger Tour titles and four ATP Tour 250 titles, one at Nottingham on grass, twice at Houston on clay and most recently at Newport on grass. He won a bronze medal in men's doubles at the 2016 Olympics with fellow American Jack Sock.
The 2013 World TeamTennis season is the 38th season of the top professional tennis league in the United States.
The 2014 World TeamTennis season was the 39th season of the top professional team tennis league in the United States. Pursuant to a sponsorship agreement with Mylan N.V., the official name of the league was Mylan World TeamTennis in 2014. The Washington Kastles defeated the Springfield Lasers in the WTT Final to win their fourth consecutive King Trophy.
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. 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, 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 2013 New York Sportimes season was the 19th season of the franchise in World TeamTennis (WTT) including the history it inherited from the 2011 merger with the New York Buzz, the 15th season since the founding of the New York metropolitan area-franchise and its third playing home matches in both New York City and the Capital District.
The 2015 World TeamTennis season was the 40th season of the top professional team tennis league in the United States. Pursuant to a sponsorship agreement with Mylan N.V., the official name of the league was Mylan World TeamTennis in 2015. The Washington Kastles defeated the Austin Aces in the WTT Final to win their fifth consecutive King Trophy.
The 2015 Austin Aces season was the 13th season of the franchise in World TeamTennis (WTT) and its second and final season in Greater Austin, Texas.
The 2016 World TeamTennis season was the 41st season of the top professional team tennis league in the United States. Pursuant to a sponsorship agreement with Mylan N.V., the official name of the league was Mylan World TeamTennis in 2016.
The 2016 Orange County Breakers season was the 14th season of the franchise in World TeamTennis (WTT) and its 12th season in Orange County, California, the first after returning from playing two seasons in Greater Austin, Texas as the Austin Aces.
The 2008 World TeamTennis season was the 33rd season of the top professional team tennis league in the United States.
The 2008 Boston Lobsters season was the fourth season of the franchise in World TeamTennis (WTT).
The 2017 World TeamTennis season was the 42nd season of the top professional team tennis league in the United States. Pursuant to a sponsorship agreement with Mylan N.V., the official name of the league was Mylan World TeamTennis in 2017.
The 2018 World TeamTennis season was the 43rd season of the top professional team tennis league in the United States.
