Lead: Crave has officially ordered a second season of the LGBTQ+ ice-hockey drama Heated Rivalry, with HBO Max returning as a rights partner in the U.S. and Australia and expanding its territory deals via distributor Sphere Abacus. Season 1 premiered on Friday, November 28, and the series has already generated a surge in viewing and online engagement; the final episode of the initial six-episode run is scheduled for Friday, December 26. The renewal and new licensing agreements mark an unusually rapid international rollout for a Canadian original and signal strong commercial momentum for the property.
Key Takeaways
- Crave has greenlit Season 2 of Heated Rivalry, the six-episode LGBTQ+ ice-hockey drama created by Jacob Tierney and based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels.
- HBO Max retains U.S. and Australian rights and has agreed with distributor Sphere Abacus for additional territories across Europe (excl. UK, Ireland, Spain, Turkey), Asia and Latin America.
- HBO Max’s Asia rights include Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Macau, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
- Neon/Sky New Zealand is returning to carry Season 2, and UK deals are reportedly nearing completion.
- The series grew Crave’s initial seven-day streams by nearly 400% compared with prior benchmarks, according to mParticle and Amazon Channels internal data.
- Heated Rivalry quickly became Crave’s most-watched original and a social-media phenomenon across North America and Europe following its November 28 debut.
- Principal cast includes Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie as the leads, with François Arnaud, Robbie G.K., Christina Chang, Dylan Walsh, Sophie Nélisse and Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova in supporting roles.
Background
Heated Rivalry was announced at the Crave Upfront earlier in 2025 and introduced to international buyers at MIPCOM Cannes, where Sphere Abacus began marketing the series. The show is produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment in association with Crave, with participation from the Canada Media Fund and the Bell Fund. That production pedigree and a strong creative team gave the series early industry visibility.
Creator Jacob Tierney (known for Letterkenny and Shoresy) adapted Rachel Reid’s bestselling Game Changers novels into a six-episode, one-hour drama about two rival Major League Hockey stars who develop a secret, long-running romantic relationship. The series leans into sports production values while foregrounding LGBTQ+ themes, a combination that has positioned it as a flagship Canadian drama with cross-border appeal.
Main Event
Crave’s decision to commission Season 2 comes amid unusually robust early viewing metrics: internal measurement from mParticle and Amazon Channels indicated nearly a 400% rise in initial seven-day streams for Crave’s platform following the Season 1 launch on November 28. That spike made Heated Rivalry Crave’s biggest original to date and catalysed fresh international interest.
HBO Max, already a U.S. and Australian partner, agreed to expand its licensed territories via a deal with Sphere Abacus, which will distribute Seasons 1 and 2 across much of Europe (excluding select markets), Asia and Latin America. Within Asia, the agreement explicitly covers Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Macau, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Neon/Sky New Zealand will also return for Season 2.
The title has become a cultural talking point in Canada and beyond: social platforms displayed fan edits, reaction threads and behind-the-scenes clips shortly after the premiere, and Heated Rivalry trended among the top three topics on X in Canada during its opening weekend. Industry sources indicate additional rights sales, including a likely UK deal, are imminent.
The series centers on Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), two top professional players whose clandestine relationship evolves over eight years. The narrative explores ambition, denial and the choices athletes face in tightly competitive leagues.
Analysis & Implications
For Crave and Bell Media, the show’s rapid international traction validates a strategy of high-concept, locally produced dramas with strong export potential. The near-instant streaming growth and social buzz create leverage for deeper licensing fees and co-production terms for Season 2, improving the series’ commercial profile beyond Canada.
HBO Max’s expanded territorial slate via Sphere Abacus reflects a broader platform strategy: securing proven, conversation-driving content from third-party producers to bolster regional catalogs. This approach allows streaming services to acquire localized hits without bearing full production risk while keeping subscribers engaged with exclusive windows and curated lineups.
Culturally, Heated Rivalry’s reception suggests a continued appetite for authentic LGBTQ+ storytelling within mainstream genre formats, particularly when paired with popular sports settings. The series could influence commissioning trends, encouraging other streamers and broadcasters to pursue similar high-profile, identity-forward projects.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Heated Rivalry | Crave Average Original |
|---|---|---|
| Initial 7-day stream uplift | ~400% increase | Baseline (platform average) |
| Episodes in Season 1 | 6 one-hour episodes | Varies by show |
| Premiere date | November 28, 2025 | — |
The nearly 400% uplift reference comes from measurements cited by mParticle and Amazon Channels internal data, indicating the title outperformed typical Crave launches in its first week. While platform-specific baselines vary, this kind of acceleration is rare and typically drives heightened distributor and broadcaster interest, which in this case translated into fast follow-on licensing discussions.
Reactions & Quotes
Heated Rivalry represents the very best of what Canadian creators can deliver: rich characters, compelling drama and a world audiences want to live in.
Justin Stockman, VP Content and Programming, Bell Media (Bell Media / official)
Stockman framed the renewal as both a creative and commercial milestone for Bell Media and Crave, noting the extraordinary audience response and the show’s international travels. His comments underline Bell Media’s view of the series as a flagship export.
Watching our show become an international phenomenon has been extraordinary… Being renewed for a second season so early is a true honor.
Jacob Tierney & Brendan Brady, Creator and Executive Producer / Producer (Accent Aigu Entertainment / production)
Tierney and Brady thanked partners and audiences, emphasizing gratitude for the accelerated renewal and promising further storytelling in Season 2. Their statement signals confidence in sustaining the series’ momentum while protecting its creative voice.
Unconfirmed
- Specific financial terms of HBO Max’s deals with Sphere Abacus and Accent Aigu have not been disclosed and remain unconfirmed.
- While sources indicate UK buyers are closing in, no formal UK broadcaster/platform deal has been publicly announced at the time of reporting.
- Exact viewership baselines used to calculate the cited ~400% uplift were not made public; the figure is reported from platform partners’ internal measurement.
Bottom Line
Heated Rivalry’s Season 2 greenlight and the swift expansion of international rights underscore the series’ unusual early momentum for a Canadian original drama. The combination of a sports backdrop, LGBTQ+ storytelling and high production values has generated measurable audience growth and social buzz, providing Crave and its partners leverage in global markets.
For the industry, the title exemplifies how a sharply executed, culturally resonant series can accelerate from domestic success to international licensing in weeks rather than months. Viewers and buyers should expect continued deals in additional territories, and producers will watch Season 2’s trajectory as a potential template for exportable, identity-driven programming.