Peach Tree Times

Papa Johns and the Atlanta Hawks have reached an agreement, making the pizza-maker the NBA team's official pizza partner.

The Hawks are the fourth NBA team with a Papa Johns partnership, alongside the Miami Heat, Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards, the Hawks reported in a release. As part of the program, Papa Johns and the Hawks plan on working together to create a positive impact on the community by hosting special events, such as "Hawks Spirit Days" that will be held at community centers in the Atlanta area.

"Our partnership with Papa Johns goes beyond pizza," Andrew Saltzman, the Hawks' executive vice president and chief revenue officer, said in the release. "At the Hawks, we are always looking for partners who are committed to making a profound impact on the community, and we are thrilled that Papa Johns is aligned with us in seeing the value and importance for how they can affect so many across metro Atlanta."

The team will work with the pizza chain to develop a series of basketball-related programs for area youths and forge relationships with the area's historically black colleges and universities. The Hawks and Papa Johns also marked National Pizza Day by throwing pizza parties at Boys & Girls Club groups in the area, the Hawks reported.

Papa Johns also served as the team's partner for its 2022 All-Star Game voting effort, during which more than 2.7 million votes were cast by fans for Trae Young, marking his second appearance in the NBA All-Star Game, the Hawks reported.

The partners will work to develop digital content such as the team's yearly schedule announcements and pizza events at the chain's test kitchen, which is located in its new site at The Battery Atlanta, the Hawks reported. Home games also will prominently feature Papa Johns.