Source: Nic Antaya / Getty
The Atlanta Hawks’ Magic City night has officially been canceled.
The news comes a week before the game against the Orlando Magic, which was set to go down next Monday, March 16.
The decision comes from Commissioner Adam Silver, whose statement suggests that the NBA brass weren’t aware of the event before it was scheduled, prompting them to explore the decision.
“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale,” Silver’s statement begins.
But he concludes that no rationale could be found, as critics got louder.
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“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,” his statement reads. “I believe canceling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community.”
Last week, the Hawks announced that they’d have a night dedicated to the gentleman’s club, because of what it means to the city, as well as the team’s owner, Jami Gertz, producing a five-part docuseries. Stars like T.I. and DJ Esco were set to appear, as were the chefs from Magic City who’d be serving their famous wings.
But the critics were swift with critiques, unsure if it was appropriate to embrace strip club culture at a family-friendly event.
The frontrunner in canceling the event was San Antonio center Luke Kornet, who penned an open letter.
“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,” he wrote.
Al Horford would later retweet his message in a show of support.
See social media’s reaction now that it’s been canceled below.