Based on its popularity, anyone who has watched Heated Rivalry has probably raved about it to someone else. The smutty, gay hockey show topped HBO’s streaming charts within a week of its release, and its influence has spread like wildfire. Leads Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie became instant stars, but they aren’t the only ones. Real-life hockey players in the NHL have seen an increased attendance at their games since the Crave original aired. Now, Heated Rivalry has gotten so big that even the NHL’s head honcho is sharing his thoughts on the hockey romance.
In an interview with The Hockey News, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman stated the professional hockey league is well aware of Heated Rivalry, and how could they not be? NHL ticket sales have been spiking in the months since the show’s premiere, with a notable increase from this time last year. Seat Geek (via CBS News) attributes this new influx of fans directly to the Heated Rivalry’s success. Bettman voiced his thoughts as to why he thinks the show has made such an impact:
