The National Basketball Association (NBA) has canceled a planned promotional event centered on the Magic City strip club at next Monday's Atlanta Hawks home game against the Orlando Magic.

NBA Cancels Atlanta Hawks' Magic City Collaboration

The NBA announced Monday that the in-arena promotion the Atlanta Hawks had planned for March 16 at State Farm Arena will be canceled. The event was intended to celebrate Magic City, an "iconic cultural institution" according to the Hawks, with food, live music, and exclusive merchandise.

However, after days of feedback from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners, and employees, the NBA decided that canceling the promotion was the right decision for the broader NBA community. The league permitted the event insofar as the Hawks did not need to get approval to proceed with the announcement.

Background on Magic City Promotion

The Hawks announced their plans for the promotion on February 26, stating that they would pay tribute to an "iconic cultural institution" and emphasizing the history, cultural impact, and influence of Magic City. The event was not intended to include dancers, and the Hawks did not mention Magic City being a gentleman's club.

According to Melissa Proctor, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer for the Atlanta Hawks, "From the food to the music and the exclusive merchandise, we are excited to team up with Magic City to create an authentic, True to Atlanta-inspired game experience."

NBA Commissioner's Statement

NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement explaining the league's decision. "When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks' scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale," he said.

"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."

Key Facts

  • The NBA has canceled the planned promotional event centered on Magic City strip club at next Monday's Atlanta Hawks home game against the Orlando Magic.
  • The event was intended to celebrate Magic City as an "iconic cultural institution" with food, live music, and exclusive merchandise.
  • The league permitted the event insofar as the Hawks did not need to get approval to proceed with the announcement.
  • After days of feedback from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners, and employees, the NBA decided that canceling the promotion was the right decision.
  • NBA commissioner Adam Silver released a statement explaining the league's decision, citing significant concerns from league stakeholders.

The cancellation of the Magic City promotion comes after San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet spoke out about the idea and urged the parties involved to reconsider. It is unclear if the league signed off on the idea to have the celebration, which was met with mixed reactions – some for, some against.