As the steamy LGBTQ+ hockey romance “Heated Rivalry” continues to dominate streaming, real-life hockey teams are jumping on the opportunity presented by a newly passionate hockey fanbase.
From IRL athletes coming out publicly on the heels of the show, to a growing diversity of fans in the stands at National Hockey League games, the Crave and HBO Max drama has surely made its mark.
The Ottawa Senators have hopped on the trend and are now selling jerseys with the names of the show’s lead characters on the back. Fans can purchase a “Rozanov” jersey with Ilya Rozanov’s number, 81, or a “Hollander” jersey to represent Shane Hollander with the character’s number 24.
According to Senators vice president of marketing Peter Shier, there is no copyright concern for the NHL franchise, since the jerseys just use the characters’ names. Plus, in the show’s season one finale, Rozanov decides to join the fictional Ottawa team to be closer to Hollander, who plays in Montreal. This fact alone has made fans’ interest in jerseys skyrocket.
“You can go into any store and get any name you want printed on a jersey,” Shier told The Athletic. “… So, we just did what our fans were doing anyway and just made it a little bit easier for them.”
The jerseys have been in the Senators’ official store since mid-January, and having sold out twice, are back in stock for purchase online and at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, Ontario.
Each jersey has a $325 CAD price tag. But for fans willing to pay the cost, the jerseys support a good cause.
Net profits from the “Heated Rivalry” jersey sales will go to Ottawa Pride Hockey, a local queer hockey team founded by queer and trans athletes in 2020.
The inclusive group organizes leagues and games for LGBTQ+ hockey players in Ottawa.
But the gesture of goodwill is not without nuance.
According to a representative from OPH, the organization only found out they were involved in the jersey sales through social media. They were also skeptical of the team’s support, given the fact that Senators goaltender James Reimer did not participate in a previous Pride night for the NHL, citing his faith as the reason.
“There’s also a lot of guarded feelings that I think a lot of queer people have,” the OPH representative, Jayce L., told The Athletic. “We do know that it maybe hasn’t been a space that we can be our full selves and then feel welcome in. And it’s not a diverse culture, hockey culture, in general. So, while there is excitement, there’s also a little bit of hesitation to feel that excitement as well. Because we know what people are coming into.”
This real discomfort plays out in the fictional “Heated Rivalry,” and the accompanying books written by author Rachel Reid, where characters grapple with their identities in both the hockey and queer communities.
“The buzz around ‘Heated Rivalry,’ and the positive response to the jerseys released by the Senators, prove there is value and demand to make hockey more inclusive. In doing so, we also commit to holding the Senators and NHL accountable when actions fall short of community expectations,” OPH shared in a statement.
“Moving forward, we hope to see the NHL embody change at the systemic level, to ensure that hockey is representative of the diversity of the entire community,” the group continued.
“We would also like to acknowledge the work of author Rachel Reid and director Jacob Tierney for creating the ‘Heated Rivalry’ world, which has become a catalyst in sparking conversations about creating actual change … For everyone participating in the efforts to make hockey a better place, you’re always welcome at our cottage.”
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Header image courtesy of Ottawa Senators
