Philadelphia Freedoms (1974) Dick and Ken Butera as a charter member of WTT in 1973. The team began play in WTT's inaugural 1974 season. The Freedoms played their home matches at the Spectrum. The centerpiece of the team was tennis legend Billie Jean King who served as its player-coach. King became the first woman to coach a professional sports team that included male players. Once King was signed on with the Freedoms, her good friend Elton John decided to write and record the song "Philadelphia Freedom" to wish her luck on her new venture with WTT and for the team to use as
Tennis on HBO winners. This was something that had not been done before especially by a female. Tennis on HBO Tennis on HBO is a television program produced by the premium cable television network HBO that broadcasts the main professional tennis tournaments in the United States. In 1975, HBO began airing coverage (same day, weekday coverage only) of Wimbledon and did so until 1999. In 2009, HBO broadcast the inaugural Billie Jean King Cup. In 1983, Beth Herr lost an epic match to Billie Jean King at Wimbledon 8–6 in the 3rd. Commentators on HBO Breakfast at Wimbledon made a very big deal