"Themed club nights and watch parties. Thousands of e-book downloads from the New York Public Library. A crowd gathered in Tompkins Square Park for a scream-sing-along in the freezing cold. In New York, as everywhere, the "Heated Rivalry" phenomenon has swept through town, including among fans looking to recreate some of its magic - on ice. In the queer hockey romance, the sport itself is more a setting than the plot. Yet the show's popularity has led to a wave of people itching to lace up their skates."
"At the New York City Pride Hockey Alliance, a league for LGBTQ+ players, organizers have noticed a lot more interest since the show premiered on HBO Max late last year. Before the show, the league got a new player request once "every three months" or so, said Steve Greenberg, the president of NYC PHA. Likes and views have spiked exponentially, said Mike Bresette, a board member and player who helps run the league's social media accounts, with between 85,000 and 135,000 views on recent posts when normally the NYC PHA would see "a couple thousand." The surge in interest has surprised Besette. He thought the show would be "like 'Fifty Shades of Grey' for hockey," he said - until he was "bawling my eyes out for several different reasons watching an episode.""
A queer hockey romance sparked themed nights, watch parties, mass e-book downloads, and outdoor sing-alongs across New York. Fans translated on-screen enthusiasm into on-ice activity, prompting many to seek hockey opportunities. The New York City Pride Hockey Alliance reported a marked rise in inquiries and social media engagement, jumping from only occasional new-player requests to tens of thousands of views per post. Organized gatherings, including a look-alike contest, drew hundreds despite freezing weather. League organizers and players expressed surprise at the scale and emotional intensity of the response. Several individuals reported renewed motivation to play or return to hockey.
Read at Brooklyn Eagle
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