NHL executives are reportedly preparing for backlash ahead of season two of the gay hockey drama Heated Rivalry, as concerns grow over how the series portrays league leadership. Based on Rachel Reid’s The Long Game, the new season follows hockey stars Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander as their relationship faces pressure from fictional league commissioner Roger Crowell.
Speaking to PR Week, NHL executive vice president Kim Davis said commissioner Gary Bettman told producers that what they say about him in the show is not at all the way he would react. Bettman previously praised the series. The show’s popularity has also brought new LGBTQ+ fans to hockey, while reigniting conversations around the NHL’s mixed record on Pride inclusion, including its controversial 2023 Pride tape restrictions.
