The Atlanta Hawks are turning a Monday night home game into a full tribute to one of the city’s most storied cultural landmarks.
Credit: Atlanta Hawks
The team announced Wednesday a “Magic City Monday” promotion tied to its March 16 matchup against the Orlando Magic, built around the famous Atlanta nightclub that has shaped hip-hop, basketball culture, and nightlife for decades. The night will include a halftime performance by T.I., a live podcast recording, Magic City’s lemon pepper wings, and a limited-edition co-branded hoodie.
T.I., DJ Esco, and a live podcast
Hawks principal owner Jami Gertz will open the evening with an introduction to a live recording of the Hawks AF Podcast, featuring Magic City founder Michael “Mr. Magic” Barney and T.I. in conversation hosted by Atlanta comedian and actor D.C. Young Fly. The session is set to take place before tip-off, with a separate ticket package available at Hawks.com/MagicCity.
T.I. will then take the stage at halftime. DJ Esco, who serves as Magic City’s regular Monday night DJ, will handle pregame music.
The collaboration carries personal weight for Gertz, who produced “Magic City: An American Fantasy,” a five-part STARZ docuseries released last year to mark the club’s 40th anniversary. The series, co-produced with Atlanta music executive Jermaine Dupri, traces Magic City’s role in shaping hip-hop and Black culture and features interviews with T.I., Big Boi, and Killer Mike, among others.
“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 said. “The iconic Atlanta institution has made such an incredible impact on our city and its unique culture.”
Wings and merch
Magic City Kitchen will sell two versions of its lemon pepper wings at the game: traditional Lemon Pepper and Louwill Lemon Pepper BBQ, the latter named for former Hawks guard Lou Williams, who has publicly called Magic City his favorite restaurant.
The Hawks Shop is also releasing a limited-edition Peachtree-themed hoodie with “MAGIC CITY” printed across the front and the Hawks and Peach logos on the sleeves. The hoodie goes on sale March 16 at HawksShop.com and at the in-arena shop.
The Hawks say the night is less of a gimmick and more of a genuine celebration of Atlanta’s cultural identity.
“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,” said Hawks Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Melissa Proctor.
The Hawks were recognized by the NBA last season as the league’s best overall game entertainment operation. For this one, T.I. put it simply: “We doin’ this one for the city… Magic City.”
Tickets for the game are available at Hawks.com/tickets.