The Hawks are pressing forward with their March 16 tribute to the iconic Atlanta strip club despite criticism from NBA players, as ticket prices spike 84%
The Atlanta Hawks will honor Magic City, the Atlanta strip club widely recognized as a cultural institution in the city, during their home game against the Orlando Magic on March 16 at State Farm Arena. The organization framed the event as an acknowledgment of the club’s role in Atlanta’s cultural landscape, and confirmed this week that it is moving forward as planned regardless of the criticism it has drawn since the announcement.
Magic City manager JuJu Barney addressed concerns directly, clarifying that fans should not expect anything explicit at the arena. He described the evening as focused on food, music and a good atmosphere, pushing back on suggestions that the tribute would be inappropriate for a professional sports venue.
Players speak out on both sides of the debate
The announcement drew immediate pushback from around the league. San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet was among the most vocal critics, releasing a public statement describing the tribute as disrespectful to women and arguing that professional sports organizations carry a responsibility to create environments that feel protective and respectful to all fans.
Golden State Warriors center Al Horford aligned himself with Kornet’s position, adding weight to the criticism from within the player community.
Not everyone agreed. Warriors forward Draymond Green pushed back on the backlash, describing Magic City’s dancers as performers and their work as a form of art. His defense of the Hawks drew its own reaction and kept the debate active in the days following the announcement.
The Hawks did not waver. After absorbing criticism from multiple directions, the organization confirmed its intent to proceed with the event without changes.
Ticket sales tell a different story than the backlash
Whatever controversy the announcement generated among players and some corners of the fan base, the ticket market responded in the opposite direction. According to SeatGeek data, the March 16 game is tracking as the highest-selling Monday matchup by ticket volume for the entire season, behind only the Martin Luther King Day game in January.
Ticket prices rose 84% compared to purchases made a month before the Magic City announcement. The combination of higher volume and sharply elevated prices points to demand that has accelerated since the news broke rather than softened under pressure.
The data suggests that for a significant portion of the Hawks fan base, the Magic City night represents an attraction rather than a deterrent. The criticism from players, while genuine and covered widely, has not translated into a measurable drop in interest from the people actually buying seats.
What the night is expected to look like
The Hawks have positioned the event as a celebration of Atlanta culture rather than a replication of the club’s environment inside the arena. Magic City has been a fixture in Atlanta for decades and has a well-documented connection to the city’s hip hop scene, hosting artists and serving as a backdrop to a significant portion of the music that has come out of the city over the past 30 years.
Barney’s description of the night focused on the experience fans can expect inside the arena rather than any direct connection to the club’s core business. The Hawks have leaned into Atlanta’s musical and cultural identity throughout the season, booking a lineup of performers for halftime that has included local artists across genres. The Magic City event fits within that broader effort to root the franchise’s home games in the city’s specific cultural traditions, even as the choice of honoree has proven more divisive than previous selections.
The game tips off March 16 at State Farm Arena.