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ARLINGTON, Texas, Feb. 26, 2014 – USA Gymnastics and AT&T Stadium have joined forces to bring the 2015 AT&T American Cup to Arlington, Texas, on March 7, 2015. The USA’s most prestigious international invitational and part of the International Gymnastics Federation’s all-around World Cup series, the AT&T American Cup features the world’s best gymnasts in a one-day all-around competition. The Nastia Liukin Cup, which features many of the country’s top Junior Olympic female gymnasts, will also be held at AT&T Stadium on March 6, 2015.

In addition to legendary coach Bela Karolyi, some of gymnastics greatest names and past American Cup champions who hail from the Dallas area were on hand for the announcement: 2008 Olympic all-around champion Nastia Liukin, who won the American Cup in 2006 and 2008; 2004 Olympic all-around champion Carly Patterson, who won the American Cup in 2003-04; three-time World champion Kurt Thomas, who won the American Cup in 1978-80; and 1991 World all-around champion and 1992 Olympic bronze medalist Kim Zmeskal-Burdette, who won the American Cup in 1990 and 1992.

“AT&T Stadium will be a truly unique stage to showcase gymnastics as the Road to Rio heats up in 2015,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “Hosting the event at AT&T Stadium is important to us for several reasons: AT&T, one of our premier corporate partners, is based here and its name is on the stadium and the event itself; this will be the first time this event has ever been held in a football stadium; and Texas has one of the largest gymnastics communities in the country. The AT&T American Cup showcases the best in gymnastics, and this facility is definitely world class.”

“We are excited to have the opportunity to showcase some of the finest gymnasts in the world the year before they head to the 2016 Olympics in Rio,” said Charlotte Anderson, executive vice president and chief brand officer of the Dallas Cowboys. “We are always looking for new ways to bring the greatest sporting events and athletes to AT&T Stadium, and the success of U.S. gymnasts in recent years on the global stage makes our venue the perfect place to host an event of this kind.”

Invitations to compete in the AT&T American Cup will be based on performances at the 2014 World Gymnastics Championships. The AT&T American Cup became an International Gymnastics Federation all-around World Cup event in 2011 and is part of the FIG’s all-around World Cup series.

Held in conjunction with the AT&T American Cup, the Nastia Liukin Cup is named after Liukin, who has five Olympic and nine World medals to her credit. The annual event features gymnasts who qualify through the Nastia Liukin Cup Series, which includes many of the country’s top invitationals held throughout January and February.

AT&T American Cup tickets for the general public will go on sale this fall. For group (10+ people) sales information, please call AT&T Stadium group sales at (817) 892-8688. Discounted tickets are also available through local gym clubs that participate in the Club Ticket Sales Program. For more information, go to attamericancup.com.

The 2014 AT&T American Cup is slated for this weekend on March 1, 2014, at the Greensboro, N.C., Coliseum Complex. The 2013 champions are Katelyn Ohashi of Allen, Texas/WOGA, and Jake Dalton of Reno, Nev./University of Oklahoma. In addition to Liukin, Patterson, Thomas and Zmeskal-Burdette, the impressive list of former American Cup champions also includes Bart Conner, Tim Daggett, Paul Hamm, Jonathan Horton, Shawn Johnson, Danell Leyva, Shannon Miller, Mary Lou Retton, Peter Vidmar and Jordyn Wieber. Past sites for the American Cup include: New York City (1976-80, 1982-84, 2004, 2008, 2012); 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, 2011); Hoffman Estates, Ill. (2009); and Worcester, Mass. (2010, 2013).

The Nastia Liukin Cup made its debut in 2010 in Worcester and returned in 2013. Other sites for the Nastia Liukin Cup are Jacksonville, Fla. (2011), New York City (2012) and Greensboro (2014).

Background information

• AT&T Stadium. AT&T Stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the annual AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. In 2014 it will be home to the NCAA Men’s Final Four and in 2015 the inaugural College Football Playoff Championship Game. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights and other special events. For more information, go to http://stadium.dallascowboys.com.
• AT&T. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s most reliable 4G LTE network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV service with the AT&T U-verse® brand. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. 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/aboutus or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/att and YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/att. © 2014 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. Reliability claim based on data transfer completion rates on nationwide 4G LTE networks. 4G LTE availability varies.
• International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). The International Gymnastics Federation is the governing body for gymnastics worldwide. It is the oldest established international sports federation and has participated in the Olympic Games since their revival in 1896. The FIG governs seven disciplines: gymnastics for all, men’s artistic, women’s artistic, rhythmic, trampoline, aerobic and acrobatic. It counts 135 national member federations and boasts a 27-person staff at its international seat in Lausanne, Switzerland, host city of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). For more information, go to www.fig-gymnastics.com.