Crave’s breakout queer hockey drama “Heated Rivalry” is leveling up in a major way. The Canadian streamer has locked in a Season 2 renewal before the first season even lands its finale, and HBO Max is widening its global embrace of the series. First reported by Deadline Magazine, the deal marks another big swing for one of the most talked-about LGBTQ+ shows of the year.
Crave keeps the home-ice advantage in Canada, while HBO Max extends its grip beyond the U.S. and Australia into Europe—minus the UK, Ireland, Spain and Turkey—along with Asia and Latin America. The Asia rollout covers Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, Macau, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Neon/Sky New Zealand is also back for more.
The series adapts Rachel Reid’s hit Game Changers novels, following hockey icons Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov—played by Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie—whose rivalry masks a magnetic pull neither can deny. The official logline captures the heart of it: two stars “bound by ambition, rivalry and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understands.” Their rookie fling becomes “a years-long journey of love, denial and self-discovery,” forcing them to confront whether their competitive world has space for “something as fragile and as powerful as real love.”
“Heated Rivalry” isn’t just a hit—it’s a phenomenon. mParticle and Amazon Channels internal data show viewership exploding nearly 400% in its first week after the November 28 premiere. Queer fans, hockey fans and everyone in between have flooded social feeds with edits, reactions and behind-the-scenes moments. It even cracked the top three trending topics on X in Canada during its premiere weekend. The Season 1 finale drops December 26.
The heat is spreading, and international buyers are circling. Several UK players are actively chasing rights, with a deal said to be close.
Crave executive Justin Stockman celebrated the moment: “Heated Rivalry represents the very best of what Canadian creators can deliver: rich characters, compelling drama and a world audiences want to live in.”
Creator Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady added, “Watching our show become an international phenomenon has been extraordinary… Being renewed for a second season so early is a true honor, and we can’t wait to bring you even more of what you love.”
Produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment and distributed globally by Sphere Abacus, “Heated Rivalry” is skating confidently into its next chapter.
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