NHL commissioner Gary Bettman says he binged Heated Rivalry in one night
“Heated Rivalry” has taken the hockey world by storm, and you can add the NHL commissioner to the list of fans.
While speaking with reporters Thursday, Gary Bettman said he binge-watched the Canadian-made television series in one night and that he’s happy to see the show be part of growing the sport.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman binged “Heated Rivalry” in one night. Said it’s been great to see how it’s helped grow the game and said it’s a great story.
“We’re well aware of ‘Heated Rivalry.’ In terms of embracing it, I think it’s a wonderful story,” Bettman told reporters, according to The Hockey News Washington Capitals reporter Sammi Silber. “The content — particularly for young people — may be a little spicy.
“I thought the storyline was very compelling … it was very well done,” he continued.
Bettman’s comments come three years after the NHL faced controversy when several players declined to wear Pride-themed jerseys in warmups, including Ivan Provorov, James Reimer and both Eric and Marc Staal.
The league decided to not allow NHL teams to wear specialty jerseys in pre-game warmups during the 2023-24 season.
“I’ve suggested that it would be appropriate for clubs to not change jerseys in warmups because it’s become a distraction and taking away from the fact that all of our clubs, in some form or another, host nights in honor of various groups or causes,” said Bettman. “We’d rather they continue to get the appropriate attention that they deserve, and not be a distraction.”
Heated Rivalry, which is based off of Canadian author Rachel Reid’s “Game Changers” book series, has already been renewed for a second season. It centers around two fictional superstar forwards — Canadian Shane Hollander and Russian Ilya Rozanov — as they take part in a secret, decade-long relationship.
The six-episode first season became a cultural phenomenon, breaking the mold of typical sports dramas with an LGBTQ-themed plot that resonated with non-hockey fans.