The NBA has called off the Atlanta Hawks’ plans for a night of celebrating the city’s famed Magic City adult entertainment club, saying it was responding to “concerns” from many across the league.
Atlanta announced the plan last month, saying it wanted to pay tribute to an “iconic cultural institution” with food — including the club’s famous lemon pepper wings, a version of which is named for former Hawks guard Lou Williams — along with music and exclusive merchandise.
It was not clear if the league signed off on the idea to have the celebration, which was met with mixed reactions — some for, some against. One NBA player, Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs, spoke out about the idea of promoting a strip club and urged the parties involved to reconsider.
And the league evidently heard the same message from others.
“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. “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 had no immediate comment. The tribute game had been scheduled for next Monday against Orlando.
The Hawks have ties to the club. Principal owner Jami Gertz was a producer for a five-part docuseries that explored the club’s history, its place in Black and hip-hop culture and what it means to the city.
“This collaboration and theme night is very meaningful to me after all the work that we did to put together ’Magic City: An American Fantasy,’” Gertz, who is also a filmmaker and actor, said when the promotion was announced. “The iconic Atlanta institution has made such an incredible impact on our city and its unique culture.”
There were plans for a live Magic City-themed podcast to be taped with early-arriving fans at the game as well.
