After 18 years of broadcasting, “Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition” has been canceled, as announced on Friday. The Punjabi-language sportscast expressed gratitude for bringing the community closer to the beloved game since its inception in 2008. The show highlighted the stories of South Asian players and families, creating a unique space in Canadian sports.

Rogers Sportsnet, the national NHL rights-holder, acknowledged the cancellation as a challenging decision due to insufficient audience levels to sustain long-term production. Despite this, the company recognized the significant impact the broadcasts had on many Punjabi-speaking hockey fans and thanked the on-air team, production staff, and viewers for their support over the years.

Commentator Jagraj Lalli, who had dreamt of being part of the show since childhood, expressed shock upon learning about the cancellation. He emphasized that the show’s legacy of diversity and connection will endure, pledging to maintain the bond between the Punjabi language and North American sports.

Fans lamented the show’s end online, citing its meaningful representation for the South Asian diaspora in hockey. The last season’s viewership averaged 1,500, with more than half of the games attracting fewer than 1,000 viewers, according to Sportsnet data.

Former show participant Bhupinder Singh Hundal reflected on the show’s impact, expressing pride in its representation of Punjabi language, culture, and community on a national platform. The cancellation follows CBC’s decision to stop broadcasting “Hockey Night in Canada” after failing to reach a new sublicensing agreement with Sportsnet.

This development comes amid other closures by Rogers Sports and Media, including the shutdown of Vancouver’s Sportsnet 650 radio station after nearly a decade on the air.