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Hockey Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition will not be returning, the long-running show said Friday, ending its 18-year run. <\/p>\n
The Punjabi-language sportscast said it “brought our community closer to the game we love,” in a statement on its official X account.<\/p>\n
“It shared the stories of South Asian players and families and created a space that was truly unique in Canadian sports. <\/p>\n
“We are incredibly proud of what we built together,” it said, thanking its viewers for their “unwavering loyalty.”<\/p>\n
The cancellation was a “difficult decision” according to Rogers Sportsnet, the national rights-holder for NHL games. <\/p>\n
“While audience levels aren\u2019t strong enough to sustain the production long term, we know these broadcasts have meant a lot to many Punjabi-speaking hockey fans,” the company said in a statement to CBC News. <\/p>\n
“We\u2019re grateful to the on-air team, production staff and viewers who supported the show over the years.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
‘What a damn shame’ <\/p>\n
Online users reacted with disappointment about the cancellation, saying they would remember the show fondly.<\/p>\n
“As a descendant of Pakistani immigrants born in Canada, even though I don’t speak Punjabi, [Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi] was special to me because I got to see people that looked like me be involved in the sport of hockey,” said one user<\/a>.<\/p>\n “What a damn shame,” wrote another<\/a>. “Trailblazers for the South Asian diaspora \u2014 you’ll all be missed massively.”<\/p>\n For the last season, the show’s overall audience average was just 1,500 viewers, with more than half of all games averaging fewer than 1,000 viewers,\u00a0according to Sportsnet.<\/p>\n An alumnus of the show also weighed in online. <\/p>\n “I was fortunate to be there in the early days and to play a role in helping build something that became much more than a television program,” said Bhupinder Singh Hundal in a statement on X<\/a>, whose roles at the show included studio host, commentator and associate producer.<\/p>\n “Hockey Night Punjabi opened doors for me that changed the course of my career,” he said. “I’m also proud of what the program represented. Punjabi language, culture and community had a place on a national stage, alongside Canada’s game.”<\/p>\n