NHL commissioner Gary Bettman praises TV show depicting gay pro hockey players, says he 'binged it in one night'

Heated Rivalry, the gay hockey show based on the 2019 romance novel by Rachel Reid, has a huge fan in NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. The pro hockey league head told reporters he "binged it in one night," and called it "a wonderful story."

Bettman said on Thursday, "I’ve watched all six episodes. I binged it in one night. I thought the storyline was very compelling and a lot of fun, because I could see where they were picking at things that we had in the past, whether it was in Sochi or the All-Star Game in Tampa. It was very well done."

The Canadian show, available in the US on HBO Max, centers around the romance between two professional hockey players and has been a breakout success since its release in November. Bettman said of the show’s story, "I think it’s a wonderful story. The content, particularly for young people, might be a little spicy. And so you have to balance that out in terms of how you embrace [the show]."

He credited Heated Rivalry for driving new fans to the sport. "There are a lot of things about the game that we think are driving more and more people to the game, and I do believe Heated Rivalry is one of those things."

The NHL in 2023 banned Pride-themed jerseys and tape from warm-ups and games, with Bettman explaining on Thursday, "It wasn’t about Pride jerseys or Pride tape. It was about the fact of bringing things into the game that might not be embraced by the players wearing the jerseys. If some players don’t embrace the cause, whatever it is, then you create a distraction that doesn’t fulfill the purpose."

Speaking on the show’s impact, co-star Robbie G.K. told ABC News’s Good Morning America, "It's almost like a bit of a haven that it creates within the storyline for people to find comfort in, and I if I had known the impact and the gravity of that storyline, I definitely would have overthought things." His comments came after a competitive hockey player Jesse Kortuem came out as gay on Facebook, citing Heated Rivalry as inspiration.