The Atlanta Hawks‘ highly anticipated — but controversial — Magic City Night promotion has been canceled. After facing backlash in recent days, the NBA announced Monday that the themed event will no longer take place, 11 Alive reported.
Why the Hawks’ Magic City Night sparked controversy
Shortly after the Hawks announced plans for a Magic City Night on March 16 during their game against the Orlando Magic, some critics pushed back against the idea of promoting the well-known Atlanta strip club.
San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet was among the most outspoken critics. Kornet, who often writes blog posts about various topics, said the promotion was inappropriate for what should be a family-friendly environment. The NBA veteran argued that the league should “provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities in good conscience.”
“The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision. Please join me in petitioning the Atlanta Hawks to cancel this promotion so as to ensure that the NBA remains a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment for everyone involved,” Kornet wrote on Medium.
Former Hawks center Al Horford, who now plays for the Golden State Warriors, also voiced criticism and urged the league to cancel the promotion.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced the cancellation Monday, saying the decision reflected concerns raised by stakeholders.
“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale,” Silver said in a statement, per Atlanta News First. “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 Hawks said they were disappointed by the outcome but respect the league’s 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 team said in a statement, per Atlanta News First.
What the Hawks originally planned for Magic City Night
The team did not appear to have plans to include adult entertainment as part of the promotion. Instead, the Hawks planned to serve Magic City’s well-known chicken wings and sell merchandise referencing the business.
With the themed night now canceled, Magic City merchandise will not be sold at the game. However, fans who pre-ordered items will still receive them. The team also confirmed that rapper T.I. is still scheduled to perform at the game.
The post Magic City Night Canceled By The Atlanta Hawks: Here’s What To Know appeared first on Blavity.
