The Atlanta Hawks planned to honor Magic City, a famous Atlanta strip club known as a cultural hotspot for athletes and entertainers, during their March 16 game against the Orlando Magic. This event was intended to highlight Magic City’s significance and featured the Hawks’ podcast Hawks AF discussing the venue. Additionally, Magic City Kitchen was set to provide its signature lemon pepper wings, offering flavors like Louwill Lemon Pepper BBQ and the traditional Lemon Pepper.
However, the NBA decided to cancel the event following concerns raised by various league stakeholders. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced the cancellation on Monday, emphasizing the league’s response to broad unease from fans, partners, and employees.
“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale. 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,” Silver said in the statement.
?Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner
Mixed Reactions from Players and Media on Event Cancellation
The Hawks have yet to comment publicly on the NBA’s decision to end the Magic City night. The event sparked considerable debate from the start, including criticism from San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet. In a recent blog post, Kornet expressed that allowing the celebration to proceed would send the wrong message regarding women’s treatment in society.
“Allowing this night to go forward without protest would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society,” Kornet wrote.
?Luke Kornet, San Antonio Spurs Center
Despite Kornet’s viewpoint gaining attention, it was met with disagreement from others in the basketball community. Some voices argued that the event’s cultural context was misunderstood or unfairly judged.
Michelle Beadle Challenges Kornet’s Critique of Magic City Event
FanDuel TV host Michelle Beadle responded to Kornet’s criticism, voicing a contrasting perspective as someone familiar with the Atlanta scene. She argued that Magic City is often mischaracterized and described it as more than just a strip club.
“As a woman, I am not offended by the idea of Magic Monday,” Beadle said. “I cannot say this enough, Magic City, for anyone who’s been to Atlanta, it’s not just a t**** bar. I feel like that’s sort of the vibes that maybe people are getting.
?Michelle Beadle, FanDuel TV Host
Beadle also labeled Kornet a “White Knight,” implying that his involvement was unnecessary and that his comments unfairly shamed the strip club industry. She stressed that the event was a partnership between the Hawks and Magic City, rather than an NBA-sanctioned player activity. Unfortunately, Kornet’s opposition appears to have influenced the decision to cancel the event entirely.
Significance and Potential Impact on Future Promotions
The cancellation of the Magic City night highlights the ongoing sensitivity surrounding partnerships that touch on complex cultural and social issues. For the Atlanta Hawks and the NBA, this situation underscores the need to balance community traditions with the values and perceptions of a diverse fanbase and stakeholder group. Moving forward, both the team and the league will likely approach similar culturally themed events with greater caution to avoid controversial reactions and ensure alignment with broader community standards.
Statement from NBA commissioner Adam Silver: “When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale. While we appreciate the team’s perspective and their desire to move forward, we have… https://t.co/mI3d9qvAF1
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 9, 2026
