News

INDIANAPOLIS, March 1, 2018 – All-session tickets for the 2018 U.S. Classic and U.S. Hopes Championships, scheduled for July 27-28 in Columbus, Ohio, go on sale March 2 at 10 a.m. ET. The Schottenstein Center, in partnership with the Greater Columbus Sports Commission, is playing host to the U.S. Classic, which has athletes competing on the junior and senior levels. The Classic is the last opportunity for female gymnasts to qualify for the U.S. Championships, the national championships for men’s and women’s gymnastics. Gymnasts who have already qualified to nationals use the U.S. Classic as a final tune-up for the U.S. Championships.

All-session ticket packages range in price from $79-$129, plus applicable fees, and prices vary depending on the seat location. The all-session ticket includes both the junior and senior sessions for the U.S. Classic on July 28, as well as the U.S. Hopes Championships on July 27. Tickets may be purchased at the Box Office, ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. For information on club sales or group tickets, call Grant Jamieson at (614) 246-7224. Discounted tickets are available through local gymnastics clubs that are participating in the club ticket sales program.

Subject to change, the competition schedule is as follows.

• U.S. Classic – July 28 at 1:30 p.m. ET for juniors and 7:30 p.m. ET for seniors
• Hopes Championships, July 27 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

The Hopes Championships, which features young, aspiring female gymnasts who are just below the elite level, is held in conjunction with the U.S. Classic. The Hopes Championships has two age groups, 10-11 year-olds and 12-13 year-olds. Athletes advance to the Hopes Championships from the Hopes Classic. The top 18 from each age group qualify to the Hopes Championships, assuming each athlete achieves a minimum qualifying score. Set for Friday, July 27, the Hopes Championships is the culmination of the Hopes season.

Columbus has held the 2012 and 2016 Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions, as well as the 1992 U.S. Championships.

For more information, go to usagymclassic.com.

Background information

• Schottenstein Center. Located on the campus of The Ohio State University, the Schottenstein Center is a 770,000 square-foot multipurpose venue. Home to the men’s ice hockey and men’s and women’s basketball Buckeyes, it is the largest arena in the Big Ten. Averaging over 1 million guests per year, the building has hosted The Rolling Stones, Ohio High School Athletic Association state championships in wrestling and girls and boys basketball, The Frozen Four and the McDonald’s All-American basketball game amongst a variety of sporting and special events. A nationally recognized sports and entertainment center, the Schott continues a tradition of making memories.
• Greater Columbus Sports Commission. Since 2002, the Greater Columbus Sports Commission has been a catalyst in transforming Columbus into one of the world’s best sports destinations, booking 427 new sporting events for the Columbus Region and generating an estimated $535 million in visitor spending. Our mission is to rally Columbus to compete and win sporting events, providing a singular athlete and fan experience and positively impacting our image, economy and lifestyle. For more information, visit columbussports.org.
• USA Gymnastics. Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, acrobatic gymnastics, and group gymnastics. For more information, visit usagym.org.