Why Was Kitten Bowl Canceled at Hallmark Channel?
Adorable puppies may be battling it out on the field on Super Bowl Sunday, but their feline counterparts will sadly be sitting this year out. Hallmark's annual Kitten Bowl has officially been canceled for 2022, a network representative shared in a Facebook statement Saturday, stating, "We are not currently developing original animal-centric programming, Hallmark Channel is pleased to support partners like North Shore Animal League America as part of our commitment to social responsibility initiatives."
The annual event, coinciding with the Super Bowl, not only offered viewers an adorable event filled with kittens running around and playing, but also proved to be a major adoption event. According to Variety, animal shelters nationwide held adoption events over Super Bowl weekend in collaboration with the TV special, helping more than 75,000 pets find homes. A source told the outlet that amid the abrupt decision not to move forward with the annual Super Bowl alternative program, "The shelters are really upset." However, in a separate statement, Joanne Yohannan, senior vice president of operations at North Shore Animal League America, said that "while we miss working on this lifesaving program," they are grateful for their recent donation of $25,000 for [Betty White Challenge] and hopeful that Kitten Bowl will return in the future."
"Kitten Bowl was a passion project that everyone involved will always be deeply proud to have been a part of," Bill Abbott, former Hallmark Channel president and CEO, wrote on Twitter. "Grateful we were able to find fur-ever homes for so many. Please continue to support Animal League in their mission to find all these animals loving homes. [Get Your Rescue On] and [adopt] a furry friend!"
This does not necessarily mean the end for the Kitten Bowl, though. Variety reported shortly after news of the 2022 Kitten Bowl's cancellation that GAC Media is looking into acquiring the program and bringing it back to TV screens for Super Bowl Sunday 2023. Abbott exited Crown Media in 2020 after 11 years and went on to acquire GAC. Since his move, several Hallmark stars have moved to GAC Family, including Danica McKellar and Trevor Donovan and When Calls the Heart alums Lori Loughlin and Daniel Lissing. At this time, however, no such deal for GAC Family to revive the Kitten Bowl has been finalized.
Fans missing the Kitten Bowl can still get an ample dose of cuteness with the Puppy Bowl, which kicks off at 2 p.m. ET on Animal Planet. The Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals will then face off in Super Bowl LVI beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET, with the Big Game being broadcast on NBC and Peacock.