The NBA has canceled the “Magic City Night” that the Atlanta Hawks had scheduled for March 16 during their game against the Orlando Magic. The decision, announced Monday, comes after numerous concerns raised within the league.

According to ESPN, the event was intended to celebrate Magic City, the well-known Atlanta strip club widely considered a symbol of the city’s local culture. The franchise had presented the initiative as a tribute to an “iconic cultural institution” of Atlanta.

The schedule included several themed elements: food inspired by the club – including the famous lemon pepper wings, one version of which is named after former Hawks guard Lou Williams – along with dedicated music and an exclusive merchandise line.

We are very disappointed by the NBA’s decision to cancel our Magic City Night, but we fully respect it

Atlanta Hawks

The team reiterated its intention to continue celebrating Atlanta’s culture in an authentic and inclusive way, with some elements of the evening still remaining part of the game’s program. The Hawks confirmed, for example, the halftime performance by rapper T.I. and the sale of lemon pepper wings inside the arena.

Other content originally planned for the event has instead been canceled, including the dedicated merchandise and a live podcast recording that would have featured franchise majority owner Jami Gertz, T.I., and Magic City founder Michael Barney.

The announcement of the initiative had already generated mixed reactions. Among the most explicit criticisms was that of San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet, who urged reconsideration of promoting a strip club as part of an NBA event.

In an official statement, commissioner Adam Silver explained that the league contacted the Hawks’ front office to better understand the initiative after learning about its details.

While we appreciate the team’s perspective and its desire to move forward with the event, we received significant concerns from a broad group of league stakeholders, including fans, partners and industry professionals. I believe canceling this promotion is the right decision for the NBA community.

Adam Silver

The connection between the franchise and the venue, however, remains significant. Jami Gertz, in addition to being the Hawks’ owner, also served as producer of the five-part docuseries “Magic City: An American Fantasy,” dedicated to the club’s history and its role in the city’s culture.