WTT owners were looking to develop a plan for growth of the league. Many were of the opinion that it would be in all their interests to have a successful franchise in New York City. With some encouragement from his fellow owners, Dick Butera traded King to the New York Sets in a complicated deal, on February 5, 1975. Upon announcing the trade, Butera said, "It's not an easy thing to let Billie Jean go. I feel like King Faisal giving away his oil wells." After King was traded, a group of investors that included Bob Mades, Paul Slater, Herbert S. Hoffman, Robert K. Kraft and Harold Bayne expressed interest in buying the original Boston Lobsters. However, the Lobsters had already been contracted by WTT. With the Buteras far less enthusiastic about their team after trading King, the two sides struck a deal, and the group purchased the Freedoms on March 27, 1975, and moved the team to Boston. In order to claim the name of the original Lobsters, the new ownership group would be required to settle some of the debts of the former team. The new owners decided to do this and renamed the team the Boston Lobsters. 1974 season record Roster Billie Jean King, Player-Coach, 1974 WTT Most Valuable Player Julie Anthony Brian Fairlie Tory-Ann Fretz Kathy Kuykendall Buster Mottram Fred Stolle Billie Jean King and Fred Stolle have been enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. See also Boston Lobsters (1974–1978) Philadelphia Freedoms References External links World TeamTennis official website Defunct World TeamTennis teams 1973 establishments in Pennsylvania Tennis in Pennsylvania Sports teams in Philadelphia Sports clubs established in 1973 Sports clubs disestablished in 1975 1975 disestablishments in Pennsylvania