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‘We open with the Super Bowl’: The work behind Daytona’s 24-hour endurance race

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‘We open with the Super Bowl’: The work behind Daytona’s 24-hour endurance race

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Nodding out his window in a small, nondescript building inside Daytona International Speedway’s infield, Chris Baynes can smile about it now. But two decades ago, it was a serious matter demanding immediate attention, and it just so happened to be his first day on the job.

Baynes, DIS’ senior director of facility operations, is talking about his first race working the Rolex 24 at Daytona, a twice-around-the-clock endurance race that is one of the signature races on the motorsports calendar. The position he was in then and still holds now is all-encompassing, responsible for ensuring DIS’ infrastructure is fully operational whenever hosting an event, including the fencing and guardrails that surround the 3.56-mile, 12-turn road course.

On this day, a crash had severely damaged a section of guardrail, necessitating lengthy repairs, with Baynes overseeing the project. The damage was so extensive the race needed to be stopped completely, something that doesn’t normally happen during an endurance race. But this was an exception; a decision that fell on Baynes’ shoulders.

“I was sitting in this office, lights out, headset on, and I got a call, and I looked out that window right here,” Baynes said. “There’s a Porsche sitting on top of a guardrail, guardrail is (flapping) in the air and the Porsche is on fire.

“That was my first race being by myself in charge. Probably the most nervous I’ve ever been.”

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So it goes when a track hosts any race, but particularly one that requires near-perfect operations for 24-plus hours before a crowd of tens of thousands. Accidents happen, things break, the unthinkable occurs — and it all can happen at any time of the day.

Throughout the just-completed Rolex 24 at Daytona, The Athletic spoke to several key individuals on everything that goes on behind the scenes to ensure a race of this scope goes off, navigating a stressful high-wire act in a coordinated effort while running on little sleep.


DIS is well-versed in hosting big events, and with the Rolex 24 now in its 63rd year, there is no shortage of experience and institutional knowledge. Preparations begin the previous fall, then commence in earnest once the calendar flips to the new year, effectively triggering the countdown to race day. Each department head has a detailed checklist, some over a hundred pages long, which they work through. Certain projects need to begin well in advance, while others can wait until the week of the event.

From the big (ensuring the track, fencing and guardrails are safe and the on-site care centers are properly staffed and equipped) to little facets (making sure every light bulb in every suite, restroom and public area are working efficiently), the idea is nothing is overlooked, a continual process of checking and rechecking.

“It’s a lot,” said Paul Bender, senior director of venue operations. “The grandstands and food service areas kind of sit idle for a few months, so things get shut down and things go to hibernation, so to speak. And we kind of gear things back up in January, so we don’t know what’s going to be broken and what’s not.”

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On Bender’s phone, he can access the temperature for nearly every refrigerator and freezer on property used by the hospitality staff. Tthe convenience of technology helps him to know whether something is awry because any breakdown is potentially cataclysmic considering the volume of food that must be prepared.

Stocking these 100-plus combined walk-in refrigerators and freezers plus two “giant” refrigerators and freezers is the responsibility of Ty Bittner, the regional operations manager for Levy, a hospitality company that services DIS. In the weeks and days leading into the Rolex 24 weekend, orders will be placed with Levy, and Bittner is tasked with delivering 25,000 pounds of chicken, 15,000 hot dogs, 5,000 pounds of brisket and 5,000 pounds of short ribs, plus a multitude of other ingredients his 100 chefs on staff require to prepare full, multi-course meals that will be served in suites or grab-and-go food sold at concession stands.


The sun sets over the grandstands at DIS during this weekend’s Rolex 24. The endurance race demands a lot out of race teams — and the track’s staff. (James Gilbert / Getty Images)

And being this is a 24-hour race, coffee is essential. Lots and lots of coffee. Bittner estimates they’ll go through 2,000 gallons of coffee over the entirety of the weekend. (Forty-thousand non-alcoholic beverages will also be ordered.)

“We have a (big) wall with just sheets of paper of who’s getting what, where, and it’s called ‘The Timeline,’” Bittner said. “We know the suite is getting this at this time — you know this person has a nut allergy or doesn’t want gluten but wants this. We coordinate all that. … Everybody has their task. We get up in the morning, have coffees and go over what we’re doing. Here’s our plan, let’s go to it.”

While the challenges facing DIS on the food side aren’t necessarily unique compared to other large-scale sporting events, there is a difference, explains Bittner, who has extensive experience in hospitality working for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors and Sacramento Kings, and MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers.

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Many stick-and-ball sports get to ramp up and iron out any kinks before hosting a “big game.” But for the Rolex 24, Bittner notes, DIS doesn’t get the chance to hold an exhibition or regular-season game to prepare for a high-profile event. His staff essentially has to jump into the deep end of the pool.

“When you’ve got 20 to 40 games, hopefully you’ve gotten it right by your first one or two games,” Bittner said. “We don’t have that luxury. We open with the Super Bowl. We have one chance to get it right, so we make sure we get it right.”


Just as those competing on the track must sacrifice sleep, so too do many of DIS’ staff. The most valuable commodity during the Rolex 24 is the chance to grab even a couple of hours of rest.

Having to remain on duty doesn’t apply to general staff or emergency service workers employees, as they’re rotated out in shifts. For many others, however, that’s another story. This is an endurance race for them, too. And it’s not just the 24-hour duration but the time before and afterward, which can mean staying awake for 30-plus hours.

Among the operations staff, radio chatter is constant throughout the race to ensure everyone stays awake and alert. A logistics crew is dispatched at various points to all the firetrucks stationed around the property to swap out batteries, bring coffee and check in.

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“You have to make sure they’re hydrated, make sure they’re fed, do radio checks and that kind of stuff,” said Troy Willrick, DIS’ managing director of emergency and event services. “With this race, it’s basically a 32-hour day.”

Those in charge aren’t required to stay awake throughout, it’s just that they admit they can’t entirely pull themselves away and detach due to the constant trepidation that something will happen that requires their immediate attention. Jennifer Young, DIS’ senior director of operations, whose duties include coordinating the master schedule down to the last second, laughs and shakes her head when asked how much sleep she gets.

Sure, she tries to go home and rest, though it’s essentially futile. Typically, she lays in bed, watches the race and monitors her phone.

“We had a windstorm come through (the weekend prior), and we lost a lot of our backstretch banners, so I had a panic moment for our partners,” Young said. “And so this week was a little stressful. I would love to sleep at night, but when you see the wind and you see those large green jumbo banners, I kind of get a little nervous. I’d love to sleep through the night, but I’m constantly worried.”

Rolex 24

A sign at DIS has some fun with the 24-hour nature of the race. Keeping fans entertained around the clock is part of the added challenge for organizers. (James Gilbert / Getty Images)

DIS president Frank Kelleher takes it a step further, having accepted that he doesn’t feel comfortable leaving the facility. For the duration of the week leading into the race and through the race weekend itself, he moves into a motorhome located in the infield so he’s constantly accessible.

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“We now have an espresso machine in our infield ops (building),” Kelleher said. “We have a soft serve ice cream machine. We’ve got a popcorn machine. I just found a soft pretzel machine that I think I’m going to borrow and bring it into infield ops. This is not a weekend where you’re counting calories, carbs or coffee intake.”

The “zombie effect” is what Bender refers to it as. It’s that time of night when sleep deprivation sets in, something he often encounters in fans trying to stay awake for all 24 hours. It’s common for Bender to wander the concourse during the wee hours and see someone trying to sleep wherever they can find a spot to crash.

“People are just trying to hang on, and they’re looking for any place where they could just somewhat lay their head down, something soft,” Bender said. “I’ll find a couple of those people wandering around just looking for a spot, or I’ll be walking down the concourse and look over and someone is tucked up in a corner with their backpack, just waiting for the sun to come up.”

Concerns extend beyond equipment like an elevator getting stuck, an escalator breaking down or a pipe springing a leak. (Just in case, DIS has a specialized service team stationed on-site on standby for all 24 hours.) There is also Daytona’s fickle weather to contend with that can vacillate between hot during the day to frigid cold at night, not to mention the persistent threat of rain.

Willrick doesn’t go more than a couple of minutes without checking the most up-to-date weather report. Should a storm roll in bringing lightning, or worse, it is his responsibility to put events in motion to stop the race, clear spectator areas and send out advisories instructing everyone to seek shelter.

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“I am constantly checking, all day long,” Willrick said. “All day.”

The 2025 edition of the Rolex 24 was highly competitive, culminating with Penske Porsche celebrating a second consecutive victory.

But it wasn’t just Penske celebrating Sunday afternoon. So too were operational folks whose work ensured the venue also successfully completed DIS’ longest race of the year.

“I’m the guy behind the scenes that makes sure that everybody has a good time,” Bender said. “I make sure that escalators are working; I got 47 escalators and 16 elevators and a freight elevator. There’s a lot of moving parts. (Daytona) is nine-tenths of a mile from one end to the other, and 104,000 seats. That’s a big gig. So I take a lot of pride in that.”

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(Top photo of cars racing under fireworks on Saturday during the Rolex 24 at Daytona: James Gilbert / Getty Images)

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Former NFL Players Of Iranian Descent Speak Up For Freedom From Islamic Regime

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Former NFL Players Of Iranian Descent Speak Up For Freedom From Islamic Regime

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Ali Haji-Sheikh and Shar Pourdanesh share the fact they are retired NFL players living beyond the glow of the NFL spotlight. But they also share another distinction tying them to current events: They are part of the Iranian diaspora hoping for the downfall of the Islamic revolution.

They make up part of a small group of men who played in the NFL – along with David Bakhtiari, his brother Eric Bakhtiari and T.J. Housmandzadeh – who are decedents of Iranians.

Washington Redskins kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh (6) talks to reporters at Jack Murphy Stadium during media day prior to Super Bowl XXII against the Denver Broncos. San Diego, California, on Jan. 26, 1988.(Darr Beiser/USA TODAY Sports)

Haji-Sheikh: Self-Determination For Iranians

Haji-Sheikh, 65, played in the 1980s for the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins. He was a first-team All-Pro, made the Pro Bowl and was on the NFL All-Rookie team in 1983 for the Giants and, in his final season, won a Super Bowl XXII ring playing for the Washington Redskins and kicking six extra points in a 42-10 blowout of the Denver Broncos.

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Now, Haji-Sheikh is the general manager at a Michigan Porsche-Audi dealership and is like the rest of us: Keeping up with world events when time permits. 

Except the war the United States is currently waging against the Islamic Republic of Iran is kind of different because Haji-Sheikh’s dad emigrated from Iran to the United States in the 1950s and built a life here.

And his son would like to see freedom come to a country he’s never visited but has a kinship to.

“It’s a world event,” Haji-Sheikh said on Monday. “I am not a big fan of the Islamic revolution because I am not Islamic. I would like to see the people of Iran be able to determine their own future rather than it be determined by a few people. It would be nice to see them having a stable government where the people can actually decide how they want it to go.

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Green Bay Packers kicker Al Del Greco (10) talks with New York Giants kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh (6) on Sept. 15, 1985, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Giants 23-20.

Iranians Celebrating And Americans Protesting

Haji-Sheikh hasn’t taken to the streets of his native Michigan to celebrate a liberation that hasn’t fully manifested mere days after the American and Israeli bombing and elimination of the Ayatollah. 

“I’m so far removed from that,” Haji-Sheikh said. “My mom is from Michigan and of Eastern European background. My dad is from Iran. But it’s like, he hasn’t been back since I was in eighth grade, so that’s a long time ago. That was when the Shah was still in power, mid-70s, ‘74 or ’75, because if he ever went back after that he never would have left. They would have held him, so there was no intention of going back.

“But if things change he might want to go, you never know.”

Despite being removed from any activism about what is happening in Iran Haji-Sheikh is an astute observer.

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“My favorite thing I’m seeing right now on TV is the Iranians in America celebrating because there’s a chance, a glimpse, maybe a hope for freedom,” Haji-Sheikh said. “And you have these people in New York protesting. What are you protesting?”

Pourdanesh Thanks America, Israel

Pourdanesh retired from the NFL in 2000 after a seven-year career with the Redskins and Steelers. The six-foot-six and 312-pound offensive tackle was born in Tehran. He proudly tells people he was the NFL’s first Iranian-born player.

Pourdanesh is much more visible and open about his feelings about his country than others. And, bottom line, he loves that President Donald Trump is bombing the Islamic regime.

“This is a great day for all Iranians across the world,” Pourdanesh posted on his Instagram account on Saturday when the war began. “Thank you, President Trump, thank you to the nation of Israel. Thank you for everybody that has been standing up for my people, my brothers and sisters in Iran across the world. This is a great day.

“The infamous dictator is dead – the one person who has contributed to deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iranians and other people around the world, if not more. So, congratulations to my Iranian brothers and sisters. Now, go and take back the country.”

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This message was not a one-off. Pourdanesh has been posting about what has been happening in Iran since January, when people in Iran took to the streets demanding liberty and the government’s thugs began killing them, with some estimates rising to 36,500 deaths.

Offensive lineman Shar Pourdanesh (68) of the Pittsburgh Steelers blocks against defensive lineman Jevon Kearse (90) of the Tennessee Titans during a game at Three Rivers Stadium on Sept. 24, 2000, in Pittsburgh. The Titans defeated the Steelers 23-20. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

‘Islam Does Not Represent The Iranian People’

“[The] Islamic Republic does not represent the Iranian people,” Pourdanesh said in another post. “Islam does not represent the Iranian people. For almost 50 years, the Iranian people and our country of Iran has been taken hostage by a terrorist regime, and it’s time to take that regime down.”

Pourdanesh was not available for comment on Monday. I did speak to a handful of other Iranian-Americans on Monday. They didn’t play in the NFL, but their opinions are no less valuable than those of former NFL players.

And these people, some of them participating in rallies on behalf of a free Iran, do not understand the thinking of some Americans and mainstream media.

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One complained that media that reports on reparations for black Americans based on slavery in the 1800s dismisses the Islamic takeover of the American Embassy in 1979 as an old grievance.

Another said his brother lives in England, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer immediately called the American and Israeli attacks on the Ayatollah’s regime “illegal” but, as the head of the Crown Prosecution Service took years to do the same of Muslim rape (grooming) gangs in the country.

(Starmer announced a national “statutory inquiry” in June 2025). 

Offensive lineman Shar Pourdanesh of the Washington Redskins looks on from the sideline during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium on Sept. 7, 1997, in Pittsburgh. The Steelers defeated the Redskins 14-13. (Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

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Pourdanesh Calls Out NFL Silence

And finally, Pourdanesh put the NFL on blast. He said in yet another post that during his career, the NFL asked him to honor black history, asked him to stand for women’s rights, asked him to fight for equality for those who cannot defend themselves.

“I did everything they asked, and now I ask the NFL this: Where are you now? Why haven’t we heard a single word out of the NFL? NFL, Commissioner Roger Goodell, all the NFL teams out there, all the players who say they stand for social justice, where are you now?

“Why haven’t we heard a single word out of you with regard to the people who have been killed as of today? The very values you claim to espouse are being trampled right now. Why haven’t we heard a single word?”

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Commentary: Will Klein isn’t surprised he saved the Dodgers’ World Series dynasty

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Commentary: Will Klein isn’t surprised he saved the Dodgers’ World Series dynasty

The day after he saved the Dodgers’ season, Will Klein was hungry. He ordered from Mod Pizza.

He drove over to pick up his order. The guy that handed him the pizza told him he looked just like Will Klein.

“You should just look at the name on the order,” Klein told him.

Chaos ensued.

“He actually started screaming,” Klein said. “He just started flipping out, which was funny.”

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Thing is, if it were two days earlier, the guy would have had no idea what Klein looked like. Neither would you.

On Oct. 26, Klein was the last man in the Dodgers’ bullpen, a wild thing on his fourth organization in two years, a last-minute addition to the World Series roster.

On Oct. 27, the Dodgers played 18 innings, and the last man in the Dodgers’ bullpen delivered the game of his life: four shutout innings, holding the Toronto Blue Jays at bay until Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off home run.

Dodgers pitcher Will Klein celebrates during the 16th inning of Game 3 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 27.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

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When Klein returned to the clubhouse, Sandy Koufax walked over to shake hands and congratulate him.

That was Game 3 of the World Series. The Dodgers, the significantly older team, slogged through the next two games, batting .164 and losing both.

If not for Klein, that would have been the end. The Blue Jays would have won the series in five games, and there would have been no Kiké Hernández launching a game-ending double play on the run in Game 6, no Miguel Rojas tying home run and game-saving throw in Game 7, no Andy Pages game-saving catch and Will Smith winning home run in Game 7, no Yoshinobu Yamamoto winning Game 6 as a starter and Game 7 as a reliever.

There would have been no parade.

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When Klein rescued the Dodgers, he had pitched one inning in the previous 30 days.

“You can never take your mind out of it,” he said. “You’ve got to stay prepared. Something might come up, and you don’t want to be the guy that gets thrown in the fire and just burns.”

The Dodgers are not shy about grabbing a minor league pitcher, telling him what he can do better and what he should stop doing, and seeing what sticks. If nothing sticks, the Dodgers are also not shy about spitting out the pitcher and designating him for assignment.

In his minor league career, Klein struck out 13 batters every nine innings, which is tremendous. He walked seven batters every nine innings, which is hideous.

The Dodgers scrapped his slider, mixed in a sweeper, and told him his arm was so good that he should stop trying to make perfect pitches and just let fly.

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“A lot of times, pitchers are guilty of giving hitters too much credit, and hitters are guilty of giving pitchers too much credit,” said Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations.

“Part of our job is to show them information that helps instill some confidence. I think that really landed with Will.”

In his four September appearances with the Dodgers — after a minor-league stint to apply the team’s advice — he faced 17 batters, walked one, and did not give up a run. That’s why he isn’t buying the suggestion that something suddenly clicked in the World Series.

“Things were incrementally getting better,” he said, “and then you add that to the atmosphere. It amplifies it to 100. All the prep work and mental stuff that I had been doing, I finally got a chance to shine.”

Said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts: “He’s done it in the highest of leverage. You can’t manufacture that. You’ve got to live it and do it. So, since he’s done it, I think he’s got a real confidence.”

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Dodgers pitcher Will Klein speaks during DodgerFest at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 31.

Dodgers pitcher Will Klein speaks during DodgerFest at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 31.

(John McCoy / Getty Images)

Klein last started a game three years ago, at triple A. After making 72 pitches in those four innings of Game 3, did he entertain the thought that maybe, just maybe, he was meant to be a starter after all?

“No,” he said abruptly. “I hate waiting four or five days to pitch and knowing exactly when I’m going to pitch.

“When I did, the anxiety just built. I want to go pitch. I hate sitting there and waiting. That kind of eats at you. I like being able to go out to the bullpen and have a chance to pitch every day.”

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The Dodgers are so deep that Klein might not make the team out of spring training. Whatever happens, he’ll always have Game 3.

In the wake of that game, a fan wanted to buy a Klein jersey but could not find one. So the fan made one himself before Game 4, using white electrical tape on the back of a Dodger blue jersey. I showed Klein a picture.

“That’s cool,” Klein said. “That’s pretty funny.”

Dave Wong, a Dodgers fan living in San Francisco Giants territory, also wanted to buy a Klein jersey.

“They didn’t have a jersey for him,” Wong said.

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He settled for the Dodger blue T-shirt he found online and wore it to last Friday’s Cactus League game against the Giants, with these words in white letters: “Will Klein Appreciation Shirt.”

This, then, would be a Will Klein Appreciation Column.

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NBA player calls for Hawks to cancel their ‘Magic City’ strip club promotional night out of respect for women

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NBA player calls for Hawks to cancel their ‘Magic City’ strip club promotional night out of respect for women

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An NBA player has taken exception to an Atlanta Hawks promotional night, which is a nod to a famed strip club in the city. 

The Hawks have “Magic City Night” scheduled for March 16 against the Orlando Magic, but a player for neither team isn’t too fond of paying tribute to a strip club, which has been famed for its late-night stories involving athletes, celebrities and more. 

While the Hawks call it an ode to a “cultural institution,” San Antonio Spurs center Luke Kornet shared his displeasure in a letter posted on Medium. 

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Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs reaches for the ball during the third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on Feb. 26, 2026 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.  (Ishika Samant/Getty Images)

Kornet, a nine-year veteran and 2024 NBA champion with the Boston Celtics, called for the Hawks’ promotional night to be canceled later this month, saying that it is disrespectful to women to honor the strip club. 

“In its press release, the Hawks failed to acknowledge that this place is, as the business itself boasts, “Atlanta’s premier strip club.” Given this fact, I would like to respectfully ask that the Atlanta Hawks cancel this promotional night with Magic City,” Kornet wrote in his post.

“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.”

The Hawks boasted about the theme night in its press release, including a live performance by famous Atlanta rapper T.I., a co-branded, limited-edition hoodie and even the establishment’s “World Famous” lemon-pepper chicken wings in the arena. 

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A general view of signage with the State Farm Arena logo on Nov. 14, 2025, outside State Farm Arena, in Atlanta, GA. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire)

“This collaboration and theme night is very meaningful to me after all the work that we did to put together ’Magic City: An American Fantasy’,” said Hawks principal owner, filmmaker and actor, Jami Gertz, said in a press release. “The iconic Atlanta institution has made such an incredible impact on our city and its unique culture.”

Kornet wrote that allowing the night to continue “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.”

Kornet wrote that “others throughout the league” were surprised by the Hawks’ decision to have this promotional night. 

“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,” he wrote. 

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Luke Kornet of the San Antonio Spurs defends against the Charlotte Hornets during their game at Spectrum Center on Jan. 31, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

The Hawks have seen good reception for the promotional night, as Tick Pick reported a get-in price was initially $10 for the game and has since skyrocketed to $94. 

Kornet is in his first season with the Spurs, his sixth NBA team, where he has played mainly in a bench role. He averages 7.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game across 50 contests.

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