WTT team with four All-Stars from the previous season on their roster. Ilana Kloss announced just before the 1976 season that she was leaving the team in order to fully participate in clay-court tournaments in Europe which conflicted with the WTT schedule. The signing of Dürr united her with Stöve with whom she had frequently and successfully partnered on the pro tournament circuit. Dürr said, "I’m very happy to be in San Francisco and with the Gaters." Then, looking in the direction of Stöve, she added, "I’m looking forward to playing doubles with Betty." When the Golden Gaters acquired Dürr, they also acquired her Airedale terrier Topspin who served as her valet carrying her racquets. Topspin had a winning pedigree having served as the mascot of the 1974 WTT Champion Denver Racquets. The Golden Gaters reached a deal with KTVU-TV Channel 2 to broadcast four of the team's road matches live in the San Francisco Bay Area. For the 1976 season, the Golden Gaters added Jeff Borowiak and Raquel Giscafré. For the second time, Ann Kiyomura was shipped away, this time to the Indiana Loves. With the Loves, she teamed up with Ray Ruffels to lead WTT in game-winning percentage in mixed doubles in 1976. Two-sport star John Lucas was signed by the Golden Gaters during the season. Controversy arose before the start of the 1976 season when Golden Gaters co-owner Larry King acting in his capacity as WTT president changed the date of a match between the Pittsburgh Triangles and Boston Lobsters from May 8 to May 16, to free up Evonne Goolagong for a promotional event. Triangles owner Frank Fuhrer protested the change and called for a vote of the owners to overrule the decision. The Golden Gaters abstained from voting. The Lobsters, who were hosting the match in question, voted to accept the schedule change. However, Fuhrer got six other owners to side with him to overrule King's decision. Later, the sponsor of the promotional event appealed to Fuhrer personally and bought $10,000 worth of tickets to two Triangles matches resulting in Fuhrer accepting the schedule change. The conflicts of interest that were pervasive throughout WTT clearly caused dissent among some owners. Fuhrer was quoted as saying, "We're the defending champs, and I'm not having Larry King change my schedule on me to accommodate his own interests. We're going to get all the conflict of interest out