Heated Rivalry Renewed for Season 2
This is not a drill. We repeat, this is not a drill. At noon today (EST), it was officially announced that the hottest show in town—yes, both in popularity and in temperature—is coming back for a second season. You read that right: Canadian streamer Crave has greenlit a brand-new season of the lil gay hockey drama that has taken not only the internet but the entire world by storm. Heated Rivalry has been renewed for Season 2, and we’re already screaming.
But this renewal isn’t just about more episodes (though believe us, we’ll take those gladly). It marks a massive expansion for the series on the global stage. Season 2 comes with an international distribution deal led by Sphere Abacus that’s set to bring the show to even more audiences around the world. HBO Max in Asia (Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, Macau, Sri Lanka, Nepal), Latin America, and Europe (excluding the UK and Ireland, Spain, and Turkey) have all secured streaming rights for the first two seasons, with additional global partners—including the UK—expected to be announced soon.
Also confirmed today: HBO Max U.S. and Australia, as well as NEON (Sky New Zealand), have all officially committed to streaming rights for Season 2, continuing their exclusive Season 1 runs in their respective markets. Heated Rivalry isn’t just traveling, it’s sprinting across continents.
“Heated Rivalry represents the very best of what Canadian creators can deliver: rich characters, compelling drama, and a world audiences want to live in,” said Justin Stockman, VP Content and Programming at Bell Media. “The response has been extraordinary, and seeing the series now travelling internationally is an incredible milestone.”
Show creator Jacob Tierney and executive producer Brendan Brady echoed that excitement: “Watching our show become an international phenomenon has been extraordinary. We’re profoundly grateful to everyone that has been on this journey with us. Being renewed for a second season so early is a true honour, and we can’t wait to bring you even more of what you love.”
We’re emotional. Our little queer hockey show is going BIG, folks. And as much as we love to play humble, we can’t pretend we didn’t see this coming. In just three weeks, Heated Rivalry became Crave’s biggest original series on record, growing its viewership by nearly 400% in its first week alone. The series, based on Rachel Reid’s beloved Game Changers novels and centered on the fiery, slow-burn, absolutely intoxicating romance between rival hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), has taken over social media, sparked endless fan edits, and even hit Top 3 trending on X during its premiere weekend.
Critics are obsessed. Fans are feral. And we? We’re absolutely delighted and bursting with pride. In our review of Episode 4 (which dropped just a few hours ago), we joked that the renewal announcement would be an early Christmas present. Well, look at that, we manifested it. Heated Rivalry has been renewed for Season 2.
The Long Game, here we come.
Episodes 1-4 of Heated Rivalry are available to stream on Crave (Canada) and HBO Max (U.S. & other regions). Episode 5 drops Friday, December 19 at 12 a.m. ET. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!
Featured Image: Image Courtesy of Bell Media.
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