NBA scraps Atlanta Hawks’ ‘Magic City Monday’ event
By Thomas Schlachter, CNN
(CNN) — The NBA has scrapped the Atlanta Hawks’ “Magic City Monday” event following “significant concerns” from league stakeholders.
The promotion was intended to honor the renowned Atlanta strip club, Magic City.
The Hawks had planned to “celebrate the city’s iconic cultural institution” during next Monday’s home game against the Orlando Magic at State Farm Arena.
“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in Monday’s statement.
“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,” Silver added. “I believe canceling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community.”
The Hawks expressed disappointment following the NBA’s intervention.
“While we are very disappointed in the NBA’s decision to cancel our Magic City Night promotion, we fully respect their decision,” the Hawks said in a statement. “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 cancellation follows public criticism from San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet, who previously urged the team to reconsider the event.
“In its press release the Hawks failed to acknowledge that this place is, as the business itself boasts, “Atlanta’s premier strip club,” Kornet wrote in a March 2 blog post. “Given this fact, I would like to respectfully ask that the Atlanta Hawks cancel this promotional night with Magic City.”
He added: “The NBA should desire to protect and esteem women, many of whom work diligently every day to make this the best basketball league in the world. We should promote an atmosphere that is protective and respectful of the daughters, wives, sisters, mothers, and partners that we know and love.
“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.”
CNN has reached out to the Hawks regarding Kornet’s comments.
The-CNN-Wire
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