Why ‘Heated Rivalry’ Can’t Compete at the Emmys for Season 1 or 2

As the ‘heated rivalry’ continues… warm up and becoming a huge hit for HBO Max, talks have begun about the upcoming Emmy season. Although romance series have recently broken through at the awards show — see “Nobody Wants This,” which broke through with three nods for its first season — this adaptation will not receive the same treatment.

“Heated Rivalry” is fully funded by Canadian company Bell Media, Crave’s parent company. The 2024-25 Emmy rules state that a “foreign television production is ineligible unless it is the result of a co-production (both financial and creative) between U.S. and foreign partners, prior to the start of production, and for the purpose of being shown on U.S. television.” Although the Television Academy has not yet released the rulebook for 2025-2026, it is unlikely that any changes will be made to this rule.

‘Heated Rivalry’ was originally scheduled for 2026, but was then pushed back by Crave in hopes of attracting more viewers during the holiday season. It worked. But HBO Max didn’t get going until after Season 1 ended, far too late to become a co-financier or producer — meaning it had no creative input. Instead, HBO Max acts solely as a US distributor.

And that will remain the case for season 2, according to Casey Bloys, content chairman and CEO of HBO.

“We are not going to be involved,” Bloys said recently Variety. “I think the last thing the show needs is people interfering with what works. So I don’t feel any need to weigh in. They clearly have a good idea of ​​the show and what works. I’ll be happy to get my episodes and showcase them on HBO Max.”

If submitted, the show will be eligible for the International Emmys.

Bloys was introduced to the show by Jason Butler, an HBO executive who acquired the show for HBO Max in Australia. Butler called Bloys in early November and asked if he wanted it for the US. He forwarded the episodes and three days later they started negotiating.

“It was an easy and very quick ‘yes’. Obviously I’m a gay man, so I felt like this would cause a bit of a stir,” he said. “I thought it was very well done. To be honest, I was surprised it was available at all because this was about three weeks before it aired.”

Bloys added that he was “very impressed” with the affordability of the acquisition. “I don’t know their budgets, but I’m very impressed with what they’ve done based on the cost of acquisition. This isn’t a huge budget we’re looking at.”

Tierney added that he was happy to see HBO become the U.S. streaming center, as HBO content has been licensed to Crave in Canada.

“We were always like, ‘We’re trying to make premium smut here,’ and so now we’re premium smut on HBO!” Tierney said. “That would be the dream. But we’ve been doing this long enough to know that nothing guarantees you an audience anymore. There is so much good TV that it feels like a gift to break through the noise.”

The series, which tells the love story between two star NHL players – who are also enemies on the ice – became a huge hit for Crave and HBO Max after its debut in November. It is now the highest-rated non-animated series on HBO Max since its launch in 2020. It is in the top five of all scripted debuts on HBO Max this year. In Canada, it is Crave’s most-watched original.