By Mallory Mattingly
The NBA canceled the Atlanta Hawks’ “Magic City” Night event, which promoted an Atlanta strip club, after public outcry.
“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement posted on X. “While we appreciate the team’s perspective and their desire to move forward, we have heard significant concerns from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners and employees. I believe canceling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community.”
The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/jzbUW8t73Y
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 9, 2026
Related: NBA Player Calls on Atlanta Hawks to Cancel Event Promoting Strip Club
The Hawks organization was “very disappointed” by the NBA’s cancelation “respect its decision.”
“As a franchise, we remain committed to celebrating the best of Atlanta — with authenticity — in ways that continue to unite and bring us all together,” the organization said on X.
— Atlanta HaWWWWWWWWWWks (@ATLHawks) March 9, 2026
The event was supposed to take place on March 16, featuring “Magic City’s lemon pepper wings, themed merchandise and a halftime performance from T.I. The team had described the club as an ‘iconic Atlanta institution,'” Relevant Magazine reported.
However, San Antonio Spurs star Luke Kornet brought much-needed awareness to what the night really promoted.
“This week, the Atlanta Hawks ‘announced a special one-night collaboration to celebrate the city’s iconic cultural institution, Magic City,’ during the team’s home game against Orlando on Monday, March 16,” Kornet wrote in a blog post on Medium on March 2. “In its press release, the Hawks failed to acknowledge that this place is, as the business itself boasts, ‘Atlanta’s premier strip club.’ Given this fact, I would like to respectfully ask that the Atlanta Hawks cancel this promotional night with Magic City.”
“The NBA should desire to protect and esteem women, many of whom work diligently every day to make this the best basketball league in the world. We should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners that we know and love,” he continued.
“Regardless of how a woman finds her way into the adult entertainment industry, many in this space experience abuse, harassment and violence to which they should never be subjected,” Kornet added.
The efforts of Kornet, the other players and fans who spoke out against the event paid off. It serves as a reminder that people want wholesome entertainment options, whether that’s in sports or on the screen.
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