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).

Usagym.org