If you haven’t watched Crave and HBO Max’s new hit show, “Heated Rivalry,” you have surely seen it in the news. It has become a worldwide sensation, and one episode came close to being the most-streamed in history, alongside an episode of “Breaking Bad.”
“Heated Rivalry” follows opposing hockey players Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov over a back-and-forth secret relationship lasting eight years. The two must stay closeted due to the nature of the sport, and the show exemplifies their trials and tribulations throughout their journey. It is based on the book series “Game Changers” by Rachel Reid, but many viewers found they could enjoy the series just as well without reading the novels. Hollander is played by Hudson Williams, while Rozanov is portrayed by Connor Storrie.
One episode in particular shows the progression of another closeted player, Scott Hunter, played by François Arnaud, and his newfound love for a worker at a smoothie shop. After winning the Stanley Cup in the episode, Scott invites his boyfriend, Kip, portrayed by Robbie G.K., down from the stands where they kiss in front of the crowd.
Besides being a hit on and off screen, these four characters have broken barriers in both sports and media. Their epic love story has made its way into basketball and hockey so far.
Real-life hockey player Jesse Kortuem made a post on Facebook on Jan. 15, crediting “Heated Rivalry” for its courage and shared his coming out story. He highlighted that being in what he thought of as a masculine sport while being gay, and how there was little to no representation of it in sports when he was younger. As he got older, close family and friends knew, but his teammates were unaware. Kortuem then described how he was ready to come out, and the show gave him and others the courage to do so.
Retired basketball player AJ Ogilvy addressed his coming-out story with another gay player, Isaac Humphries, during their interview over the Australian NBL’s annual Pride Round event. While he does not credit “Heated Rivalry” directly, he talks about there being a comfortable space to talk about the LGBTQ+ community in men’s sports recently. He also explains how he felt forced to be someone he was not during his career, yet he was still publicly supportive of marriage equality in 2017.
“Heated Rivalry” has caused many other societal effects in pop culture, including Storrie and Williams being torchbearers at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy and presenting an award at the Golden Globes.
Forbes magazine said that art and entertainment can change a culture more than anything else, and it is even more of an exception to receive this change from the comfort of your couch. This statement rings true, especially in recent years, where anyone can be part of the change in their own way. The goal for LGBTQ+ movements has been to become fully acceptable in society, and this show has fast-tracked that vision. “Heated Rivalry” has proven to be an outstanding success in the eyes of film reviewers and in changing a culture.
“Heated Rivalry” has been renewed for a second season, beginning production in summer 2026 and airing sometime in 2027.
