Beadle Rips Kornet for Criticizing Hawks' Strip Club Promotion

The former ESPN host slammed the Spurs player for trying to get the 'Magic City Monday' event canceled.

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Former ESPN personality Michelle Beadle offered a scathing review of San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet's blog post criticizing the Atlanta Hawks' upcoming 'Magic City Monday' promotion, which celebrates the city's famous adult entertainment club. Beadle argued that Kornet, who does not play for either the Hawks or their opponent, the Orlando Magic, was misrepresenting the iconic cultural institution and attempting to tell women what should or should not offend them.

Why it matters

The Hawks' promotion has sparked debate over the role of strip clubs in sports and whether the NBA should be involved with such events. Beadle's comments highlight the differing perspectives on the issue and the challenges of navigating cultural sensitivities around the adult entertainment industry.

The details

Kornet wrote a blog post urging the NBA to cancel the 'Magic City Monday' event, claiming it would make the league 'complicit in the potential objectification and mistreatment of women.' However, Beadle argued that Magic City is an 'iconic cultural institution' in Atlanta and that the women working there are 'grown ass women who have a job.' She also pointed out that Kornet does not play for either team involved in the promotion.

  • The 'Magic City Monday' promotion is scheduled for March 16, 2026 when the Hawks host the Orlando Magic.

The players

Michelle Beadle

A former ESPN personality who offered a scathing review of Luke Kornet's criticism of the Hawks' 'Magic City Monday' promotion.

Luke Kornet

A 30-year-old center for the San Antonio Spurs who wrote a blog post urging the NBA to cancel the Hawks' upcoming 'Magic City Monday' promotion.

Atlanta Hawks

The NBA team hosting the 'Magic City Monday' promotion, which celebrates the famous Atlanta strip club of the same name.

Magic City

A well-known strip club in Atlanta that is the focus of the Hawks' upcoming promotion.

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What they’re saying

“As a woman, I am not offended by the idea of Magic Monday. I cannot say this enough, Magic City, for anyone who's been to Atlanta, it's not just a t–ty bar. I feel like that's sort of the vibes that maybe people are getting.”

— Michelle Beadle, Sports Reporter (Beadle & Decker)

“Secondly, and more importantly is, thank you, White Knight. We don't need this. I've had enough of men telling us what we can and shouldn't and what we should want and what we should need and how we should act. No. No, no, these are not trafficked 12-year-olds, okay? We have that, and none of those people are being brought forward. This is not that. These are grown ass women who have a job. I don't understand, are you shaming that industry as part of this blog? I can't really understand the motivation.”

— Michelle Beadle, Sports Reporter (Beadle & Decker)

What’s next

The Hawks have not indicated if they plan to cancel or modify the 'Magic City Monday' promotion in response to the criticism.

The takeaway

This debate highlights the complex and often divisive nature of the adult entertainment industry's role in sports and popular culture. While some see the Hawks' promotion as celebrating an iconic Atlanta institution, others view it as objectifying women and promoting harmful stereotypes.