INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., July 27, 2011 – USA Gymnastics has officially awarded the 2012 AT&T American Cup, the most prestigious international invitational held in the United States, to Madison Square Garden in New York City, N.Y. Slated for March 3 at 11:30 a.m., the AT&T American Cup will kick-off the Olympic year for USA Gymnastics showcasing the top gymnasts from the United States and around the world. Tickets for the one-day international event go on sale to the public on July 30 at 12 p.m. ET through Ticketmaster and the Madison Square Garden Box Office. The AT&T American Cup has been staged 11 times at Madison Square Garden and this is the sixth time New York has hosted the event in an Olympic year.

"Madison Square Garden is synonymous with the AT&T American Cup," said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. "It is always great to return to the world’s most famous arena and 2012 will be no exception. Starting our Olympic year in New York City is an important opportunity for our athletes, sponsors, media, and fans, and we appreciate the tradition of excellence that Madison Square Garden brings to this event."

Tickets go on sale to the public at 12 p.m. on Saturday, July 30. Ticket prices range from $29.50-$225 and may be purchased charge by phone at 866-858-0008; online at www.thegarden.com; at all Ticketmaster outlets; at the Madison Square Garden Box Office; or through participating area gymnastics clubs. In recognition of Visa’s long-time support of USA Gymnastics, Visa is the preferred method of payment. For more information, go to ATTAmericanCup.com.

"At AT&T, we are honored to keep fans connected and provide the support to help these athletes achieve their very best," said Bill Moseley, director, AT&T Corporate Sponsorships. "We’re looking forward to this highly-anticipated event as the title sponsor, and we’re proud to continue our support of USA Gymnastics and Team USA as our athletes prepare to represent Team USA in 2012."

Madison Square Garden was the site of the inaugural American Cup in 1976 when the USA’s Bart Conner and Romania’s Nadia Comaneci won the all-around titles. Madison Square Garden played host to this event in 1976-80, 1982-84, 2004 and 2008. Some of the best-known and loved names in gymnastics won the event during its time at Madison Square Garden, including Kurt Thomas, Peter Vidmar, Mary Lou Retton, Carly Patterson, Paul Hamm and Nastia Liukin, along with Conner and Comaneci.

"We are thrilled to once again partner with USA Gymnastics to bring the best gymnasts in the world to The World’s Most Famous Arena," said Scott O’Neil, president, MSG Sports. "What has become tradition in an Olympic year, these world class athletes will showcase their talents to fans around the globe from the heart of New York City. From Bart Conner and Nadia Comaneci in 1976 to Nastia Liukin and Paul Hamm in 2008, the American Cup has become a showcase for the biggest names in the sport, making Madison Square Garden home to many amazing memorable performances."

The USA swept the titles at the 2011 AT&T American Cup – Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich., won the women’s title, and Jonathan Horton of Houston won to bring his total American Cup titles to three.

Past sites include: New York City (1976-80, 1982-84, 2004, 2008); Ft. Worth Texas (1981, 1996-98); Indianapolis, Ind. (1985); Fairfax, Va. (1986-90, 2003); Orlando, Fla. (1991-94, 2000-02); Seattle, Wash. (1995); St. Petersburg, Fla. (1999); Uniondale, N.Y. (2005); Philadelphia (2006); Jacksonville, Fla. (2007, 2010); and Worcester, Mass. (2009).

Background information

  • AT&T. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. A leader in mobile broadband, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T │DIRECTV brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising. In 2010, AT&T again ranked among the 50 Most Admired Companies by FORTUNE® magazine. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com.

  • Madison Square Garden Company. The Madison Square Garden Company is a fully-integrated sports, media and entertainment business. The company is comprised of three business segments: MSG Sports, MSG Media and MSG Entertainment, which are strategically aligned to work together to drive the company’s overall business, which is built on a foundation of iconic venues and compelling content that the company creates, produces, presents and/or distributes through its programming networks and other media assets. MSG Sports consists of owning and operating sports franchises, including the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL), the New York Liberty (WNBA), and the Connecticut Whale (AHL). MSG Sports also features the presentation of a wide variety of live sporting events including professional boxing, college basketball, track and field and tennis, as well as MSG Action Sports, an action sports and lifestyle division. MSG Media is a leader in production and content development for multiple distribution platforms, including content originating from MSG’s venues. MSG Media consists of the MSG Networks (MSG, MSG Plus, MSG HD and MSG Plus HD) regional sports networks and the Fuse Networks (Fuse and Fuse HD), a national television network dedicated to music. MSG Entertainment is one of the country’s leaders in live entertainment. MSG Entertainment creates, produces and/or presents a variety of live productions, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Radio City Rockettes. MSG Entertainment also presents or hosts other live entertainment events such as concerts, family shows and special events in MSG’s diverse collection of venues. These venues include Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Theater at Madison Square Garden, the Beacon Theatre, the Chicago Theatre and the Wang Theatre. More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com.