Mylan World TeamTennis CEO Ilana Kloss yesterday announced that the Boston Lobsters, who "played their home matches at the Manchester Athletic Club for the past three seasons," will "not be a part" of the league this year, according to a front-page piece by Ray Lamont of the Gloucester DAILY TIMES. The league took over operations of the team last July "after the retirement of previous owner and Boston-based businessman Bahar Uttam." The Lobsters had "been one of the original franchises in the WTT when it was launched" in '74. Manchester Athletic Club GM Keith Callahan said that the MAC had "been approached by the WTT to take over ownership of the team but turned it down." Lamont notes the WTT yesterday also announced the "addition of a New York team for the coming season," with Patrick McEnroe and Andy Roddick tapped to "head up the New York Empire." The league had "operated without a New York franchise for the last two years, since the New York Sportimes folded" after '13 (Gloucester DAILY TIMES, 2/18). WTT Senior VP/Communications Rosie Crews said, "We are going to continue to look at people in Boston. It's a great market. We just need local ownership" (BOSTON GLOBE, 2/18).
