The City of Irving, located in the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, will be home to a new Mylan World TeamTennis team beginning with the 2013 season. The team, which played for the past 20 seasons in Kansas City as the Kansas City Explorers, will relocate to their new home court in Irving and be renamed in a fan voting contest.
The name of the new team will be determined through fan voting at www.WTT.com/Texas. Fans can vote immediately on several choices or add their own write-in candidates until Thursday, January 31.
"We are excited to bring Mylan World TeamTennis to Irving and become part of the great sports community in North Texas," said Mylan WTT CEO/Commissioner Ilana Kloss. "Fans can look forward to some of the best players in the world coming to Irving each summer. The team competition will be intense."
"This deal is a win-win for the Irving residents and hotels and businesses that will benefit from the tourism generated by having the only professional tennis team in Texas," stated Irving Mayor Beth Van Duyne.
Team co-owner and general manager Jeff Launius will retain the rights to his 2012 team lineup which includes the world's top doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan, and Aisam Qureshi, No. 14 in the ATP doubles rankings.
Launius will begin to put together his 2013 squad at the Marquee Player Draft on Tuesday, Feb. 12. The team plans to bring back the Bryan Brothers and will announce other marquee matches following the Draft. The team roster will be finalized at the Mylan WTT Roster Player Draft on Tuesday, March 12.