Heated Rivalry Scores International Sales

Bell Media’s upcoming hockey romance series Heated Rivalry has been picked up by HBO Max in the U.S. and Australia, Sky in New Zealand and Movistar Plus+ in Spain.

Created by Jacob Tierney (Letterkenny, Shoresy) and based on Rachel Reid’s best-selling book series Game Changers, the six-episode drama tells the story of two rival hockey players who begin a secret fling. It is set to debut in Canada on Crave on November 28. It will premiere on HBO Max in the U.S. and Australia on November 28 as well, followed by Sky in New Zealand on November 30.

The series is distributed by Sphere Abacus, which Bell Media owns a majority stake in. It is produced by Accent Aigu Entertainment in association with Crave.

“Heated Rivalry is premium, high-caliber content that resonates with global audiences,” said Justin Stockman, VP of content development and programming at Bell Media. “These international sales are a testament to Accent Aigu Entertainment’s vision for Rachel Reid’s story and underscore the strength of our partnership with Sphere Abacus, and our shared commitment to bringing compelling, buzzyworthy content to viewers worldwide.”

“With strong performances from its lead actors, Heated Rivalry delivers a powerful and unique narrative, which our clients in all parts of the world are keen to share with their viewers,” commented Jonathan Ford, managing director of Sphere Abacus. “We’re very excited about additional international sales prospects for this engaging series in the weeks to come.”