"The Crave show, which follows closeted pro hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), has seemingly sent the entire world into " mass psychosis." HBO, which acquired the show for US distribution, is now playing it in well over a dozen countries and says viewership has more than doubled since the finale. In short, it's broken a bunch of records."
"From "big air" to curling, the Olympics are all about people banding together to fixate on sports they barely knew existed a month ago. Hockey is different. While it's among the least popular pro sports in the US, it's a downright national obsession in Canada and has a sizable number of fans year-round. For the 2026 Winter Olympics it has a whole lot more thanks to Heated Rivalry."
"Almost cinematically, the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics just happen to be taking place in the midst of this fervor. Both Storrie and Williams were torch bearers and many athletes have praised the show. Warner Bros. Discovery has seen its strongest Olympics streaming numbers to date in Europe, according to Variety, with Heated Rivalry being one of the most-watched shows among Milano Cortina viewers."
A Crave show follows closeted pro hockey rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, and its popularity has driven widespread international viewership and record streaming numbers. HBO acquired U.S. distribution and viewership more than doubled after the finale. The show's fame generated fan edits, boosted NHL ticket sales, and inspired the Ottawa Senators to sell character-themed jerseys benefiting a local LGBTQ+ rec league. Milano Cortina Winter Olympics coincide with this surge, with both lead actors serving as torch bearers and athletes praising the series. Marketing data show female interest in hockey rose 20 percent recently and sits 30 percent above early-2022 levels. Men's hockey still lacks broad LGBTQ+ acceptance.
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