NBA cancels Hawks’ ‘Magic City Night’ after leaguewide outrage

Ever since the announcement of the Atlanta Hawks dedicating a night to the Magic City institution on March 16, there has been an immense conversation around the sports world on whether that is the right thing to do. With some defending the Hawks doing Magic City night, there was also outrage, leading to the league announcing that it has canceled the event.

In a statement by league commissioner Adam Silver, he said that “canceling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community.”

“When we became aware of the Atlanta Hawks’ scheduled promotion, we reached out to Hawks leadership to better understand their plans and rationale. 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.”

Luke Kornet was at the forefront of objecting Hawks’ Magic City night

One of the first prominent people to object to the Hawks doing their Magic City night was Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs, saying the team should cancel the event. He would go as far as to say that it “would reflect poorly on us as an NBA community, specifically in being complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women in our society.”

“I and others throughout the league were surprised by and object to the Hawks’ decision. We desire to provide an environment where fans of all ages can safely come and enjoy the game of basketball and where we can celebrate the history and culture of communities in good conscience. The celebration of a strip club is not conduct aligned with that vision,” Kornet wrote.

The main reason for the outrage is that the institution of Magic City is known for being a strip club.

When the Hawks announced it, the event was “to celebrate the city’s iconic cultural institution Magic City,” for the impact it has on the culture of Atlanta. Consequently, it remains to be seen what the discourse will look like now after the NBA canceled the event, as the discussion has been polarizing.