NBA pulls plug on Atlanta Hawks’ strip club promotional night
The Straits Times
Commissioner Adam Silver called it “the right decision for the broader NBA community”. Read more at straitstimes.com.
NEW YORK – The National Basketball Association (NBA) has cancelled the Atlanta Hawks’ collaboration with Magic City, a local strip club, ending what would have been a first-of-its-kind promotional night in professional basketball.
In February, the Hawks announced the partnership before their highly anticipated match against the Orlando Magic on March 16, describing it as “a one-night collaboration to celebrate the city’s iconic cultural institution”.
However, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that the league had scrapped the Hawks’ planned “Magic City Monday” promotion following feedback from league stakeholders, calling it “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,” he said in a statement on March 9.
“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. I believe cancelling this promotion is the right decision for the broader NBA community.”
Magic City is a prominent adult entertainment club in Atlanta with strong ties to the rap and hip-hop music industry. The unusual partnership raised eyebrows across the league – including players – before Silver stepped in to halt the promotion.
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