The Crave show, which follows closeted pro hockey-rivals-turned-lovers Shane Hollander (played by Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), has seemingly sent the entire world into “mass psychosis.” HBO, which acquired the show for US distribution, is now playing it in well over a dozen countries and says viewership has more than doubled since the finale. But from fan edits to increased sales of National Hockey League tickets to the Ottawa Senators selling character-themed jerseys (proceeds go to the city’s LGBTQ+ rec league), the show’s celebrity has had huge knock-on effects for the actual sport. As for why the change is taking place, Browne, who is Canadian, says, “We can't really overlook the fact that the current [Trump] administration is really putting a lot of pressure on sports leagues, withholding funding, other types of threats if they don't come up with policies that exclude trans people.”
Author: Manisha Krishnan
Published at: 2026-02-11 22:15:06
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