BET announced that “The Game” will come to an end after nine seasons. Production is underway on Seasons 8 and 9 of the hit comedy that BET revived in 2011 after two years off the air. The CW had canceled the “Girlfriends” spinoff in 2009.
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With its fourth-season BET premiere, “The Game” set a record for the network with 7.7 million viewers. The story of the fictional San Diego Sabers football players and their spouses has remained a strong performer for the network ever since.
According to BET, it was creator Mara Brock Akil’s decision to close the story after nine seasons. “Shows do end; that is a part [of] the business,” she told BET.com. “I’m very happy BET gave ‘The Game‘ five additional seasons to explore these characters and this world. We made history when we got to the network and it’s nice to be able to celebrate the great achievements of the show.”
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“With seasons eight and nine, we’re excited to end on a high note by giving Sabers fans a chance to bid farewell to their favorite players on and off the field,” said the network in a statement.
The final two seasons of “The Game,” currently in production, have not yet been put on the schedule by BET.