The famed Magic City adult entertainment club will not be featured at next week’s Atlanta Hawks promotional night, the NBA announced on Monday.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged concerns from various stakeholders across the league, stating that his decision to cancel the collaboration is in the best interests of the “broader NBA community.”
“While we appreciate the team’s perspective and their desire to move forward,” Silver said in a statement, “we have heard significant concerns from a broad array of league stakeholders, including fans, partners, and employees.”
The Hawks initially announced their “Magic City Monday” promotion in late February. The event was set to feature a halftime performance by Atlanta-based artist T.I., a collaborative hoodie release, and the offering of some of the club’s popular wings—most notably the lemon-pepper variety named after former Hawks player Lou Williams.
Hawks principal owner Jami Gertz, who served as a producer on the Starz docuseries *Magic City: An American Fantasy*, had supported the collaboration.
However, the team’s partnership with the Atlanta strip club sparked debate within the NBA community. San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet publicly called on the Hawks to cancel the promotional night in a Medium post last week, arguing that such an event “would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”
On the other hand, some voices defended the collaboration, highlighting Magic City’s significance as a cultural landmark in Atlanta that deserves recognition.
In response to the NBA’s decision, the Hawks issued a statement expressing disappointment but affirmed that they would respect the ruling. Rapper T.I. will still perform at halftime, but the live recording of the Hawks AF Podcast featuring Jami Gertz, T.I., and Magic City founder Michael Barney was canceled.
Fans who pre-ordered the collaboration hoodie will still receive their sweatshirts; however, the items will not be available for purchase at the game, the Hawks confirmed on X (formerly Twitter).
“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 Hawks stated.
This decision highlights the ongoing conversations within the NBA and beyond about community values and cultural representation.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2026-03-09/nba-cancels-atlanta-hawks-strip-club-collaboration-after-players-fans-cry-foul