Sabrina the Teenage Witch was involved in the decision to end Boy Meets World after season 7, as discussed in an episode of Pod Meets World.
Summary SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Boy Meets World ended after season 7, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch factored into the decision. Both shows were part of ABC's popular "TGIF" lineup, which has been home to some of the network's most beloved programs, including Full House, Family Matters, and Step by Step.
Appearing on Pod Meets World, a podcast hosted by Boy Meets World stars Danielle Fishel, Rider Strong, and Will Friedle, stage manager and director Steve Hoefer discussed the choice to end the show and the role Sabrina the Teenage Witch played in the decision. It was not a done deal, but ABC was leaning toward, to my understanding, the way it was told to me, that TGIF would've stayed together if they had two anchor shows for the four slots, and since we were the original, obviously we were one, and if Sabrina had not jumped networks, that would have given them their second anchor, and they would have approached at least one more season with the new story of you guys having moved out.
Hoefer's mention of "anchors" harkens back to a different time as well. Typically, anchors were seen as reliable, existing shows that could bolster new ones. The solid-performing series would often serve as a lead-in to the newer show, with networks hoping that viewers wouldn't change the channel after the anchor series ended. While this strategy is still a key part of TV programming, it's not as important as it once was.
With the rise of so many different TV platforms and cable channels, audiences have become accustomed to finding shows they want to watch, regardless of when and where they air. This has made anchor shows less necessary or at least not a guaranteed way to improve viewership numbers for another series or programming block. In that way, it's possible a Boy Meets World airing today would have been renewed for season 8, no Sabrina the Teenage Witch necessary.