Hawks' victory leads to concert chaos for Jackson and Swift fans
ATLANTA - The last-minute three-pointer by Atlanta Hawks superstar Trae Young on Tuesday has put Downtown Atlanta festivities into a bit of an odd situation.
With the Hawks' 119-117 win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden, Game 6 is then supposed to be played back in Atlanta. The only problem is the end of the week and the weekend are packed already with events.
Janet Jackson’s Together Again tour was scheduled to stop at State Farm Arena on Thursday.
Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks celebrates after scoring against the Washington Wizards in the second half at Capital One Arena on March 10, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Moving either event to the weekend is also a non-starter with Taylor’s Eras Tour hitting nearby Mercedes-Benz Stadium. All three of her stops in the Atlanta arena are sold out, and parking will be extremely limited.
So, Janet Jackson’s concert will now be Friday. All tickets to Thursday night’s Janet Jackson show will be honored on Friday.
"This is such an exciting time for the city with world-class events between Hawks Playoff basketball, Janet Jackson and Taylor Swift in downtown Atlanta," said State Farm Arena Executive Vice President of Arena Programming Trey Feazell. "We are committed to ensuring all of our guests have a great night out at each of our events and are working with our partners to provide the most seamless experience possible."
Janet Jackson performs at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on April 14, 2023 in Hollywood, Florida. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Janet Jackson)
Refunds for Jackson fans who cannot make it Friday will be given at the point of sale.
A limited number of tickets for the Hawks’ playoff game are still available.
The gates will open at 6:30 p.m. for both Janet Jackson and Game 6. The official start will be at 7:45 p.m., according to arena officials.
Doors open at 4:30 p.m. for eager Swifties.
Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at NRG Stadium on April 21, 2023 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
Fans of Jackson, the Hawks, and Swift are asked to take MARTA to avoid the traffic.
Officials from both State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium say if you don't have tickets for the shows, stay away from the stadiums as they get close to show time.