PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s minor league hockey team is going to skip the upcoming season along with all the other franchises in its division.

The Maine Mariners and the other five members of the ECHL North Division said Wednesday they are suspending the 2020-21 season and planning to return in 2021-22. The Mariners play in Portland, the largest city in a state in which ice hockey is a longstanding winter tradition.

“With the uncertainties surrounding COVID-19, the increasing rates in our region, and after consulting with local officials, we did not see a clear path toward hosting fans at Mariners games,” said Danny Briere, vice president of hockey operations for the Maine Mariners. “We want to thank our fans for their passion and loyalty as we continue to navigate returning to the ice.”