Amar'e Stoudemire in controversial Knicks ad, pulled by MSG Network

Amar'e Stoudemire is featured in a controversial Knicks ad that's being pulled by MSG Network. (Jennifer Pottheiser/Getty Images)

A New York Knicks marketing campaign from MSG Network is reportedly too controversial and will be taken down after a team representative said it was "bad judgement" on their part, according to a report from The New York Post and ESPN.

Four ads posted throughout the tri-state area promote the Knicks in a way that some people reportedly say is at the expense of Broadway performers. The ad reads, "“It’s Friday night. You can either see a Broadway harness malfunctioning or you can watch real men fly.” The Knicks confirmed that those ads will be taken down immediately:

“The ad was simply bad judgement on our part. We’re in the process of having them immediately removed. We apologize to anyone who was offended.”

That specific aforementioned ad is a reference to the Broadway show "Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark." Christopher Tierney, who starred in the show,  suffered four broken ribs and three fractured vertebrae after he fell 30 feet into the orchestra pit in December 2010. Responding in similar fashion, a representative from the Broadway show said prior to finding out that the ads would be taken down that Spiderman's record is undefeated:

"While we root for all of New York’s hometown teams, we’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that Spider-Man’s record remains undefeated.”

The Knicks are, of course, undefeated this season but ironically have won all three games so far without their $100 million power forward, Amar'e Stoudemire, who is featured in the ad. Stoudemire is out six to eight weeks after rupturing a cyst in his knee during a preseason game in October.

The New York Post