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The NBA has cancelled the Atlanta Hawks\u2019 \u201cMagic City Monday,\u201d which was set for next week, after some NBA players raised concerns about having a promotional themed night celebrating a strip club.<\/p>\n
The Hawks were set to honor one of Atlanta\u2019s \u201ciconic cultural institutions\u201d with special food, merchandise, and a halftime performance by Atlanta rapper T.I. for their matchup against the Orlando Magic next week, per a team release.<\/p>\n
But San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet voiced concerns about having a night that brings attention to Magic City, the historic strip club in Atlanta, calling the move a poor decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe 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,\u201d Kornet wrote. \u201cWe should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners that we know and love\u2026we desire to 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Related: <\/strong>NBA Team To Honor Strip Club During International Women\u2019s Month<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Warriors center Al Horford, who played for years for the Hawks, also pushed back against \u201cMagic City Monday,\u201d saying he agreed with Kornet\u2019s assessment of the evening not creating an environment for fans of all ages \u2014 and the league agrees.<\/p>\n The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com\/jzbUW8t73Y<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 9, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement on Monday: \u201cWhen we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks\u2019 scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale. While we appreciate the team\u2019s 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 cancelling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMagic City Monday\u201d was scheduled for the Hawks on March 16.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Hawks have worked with Magic City to bring the \u2018best of\u2019 the phenomena for fans in attendance at the award-winning State Farm Arena,\u201d the announcement for the promotional night read.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom 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,\u201d said Hawks Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Proctor.<\/p>\n Atlanta\u2019s NBA team hasn\u2019t publicly responded to the cancellation, only reposting the NBA\u2019s official announcement on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Hawks never referred to Magic City as a strip club, though the widely-known entertainment space has been known for that since the 80s; instead, the organization planned to focus on other aspects of the club, including its lemon pepper wings that were set to be a special menu item for the March 16 game.<\/p>\n There is no word on if famed rapper T.I. is still set to perform, despite the promotion being called off.<\/p>\n The tipoff for the Hawks and Magic is set for next Monday at 7:00 p.m. ET.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n