On Thursday night, the Boston Bruins will illuminate TD Garden with rainbow lights and sport rainbow-colored Pride Tape on their sticks. This event marks their annual Hockey Is for Everyone night, aimed at promoting inclusivity and raising funds for the Boston Pride Hockey league. The initiative, which began nearly a decade ago, seeks to create positive social change within the sport and the community.
The spotlight on this year’s event is intensified by the HBO series Heated Rivalry, which follows the romantic relationship between two closeted professional hockey players. The show has gained significant traction, becoming a viral sensation that extends beyond the LGBTQ+ community. It offers a rare glimpse into a sport that has yet to feature an openly gay player, either active or retired, in its more than 100-year history.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman recently acknowledged the influence of the series, stating that he binge-watched all six episodes in one night. He described Heated Rivalry as a “wonderful story” that could attract new fans to the league. “We’re well aware of Heated Rivalry,” Bettman noted before a game between the San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals. “The content for young people in particular may be a little spicy, and so you have to balance that out in terms of how you embrace it.”
The show’s popularity has taken off, inspiring various community events and merchandise related to the fictional teams, the Boston Raiders and the Montreal Voyagers. Local college students even organized a look-alike contest that attracted hundreds, while trivia nights themed around the show consistently sell out, predominantly drawing female audiences.
As interest in hockey rises among individuals who previously had little engagement with the sport, such as Ryan Leblanc from Medford, who purchased a Bruins ticket after watching the show, there is hope that Heated Rivalry might encourage LGBTQ+ players to come out. Yet, some experts caution against expecting immediate changes within the NHL.
Jim Buzinski, co-founder of the LGBTQ+ sports news website Outsports, pointed out that coming out is a deeply personal decision. “The process is fraught with so many things for people,” he explained. “First, you have to accept yourself. There are a lot of gay people who take a long time to accept who they are.” Most openly gay athletes have chosen to do so after retirement. Jason Collins became the first active player in the major American sports leagues to come out, while Luke Prokop was the first openly gay player under contract in the NHL, though he has yet to play in a game.
Despite the challenges, Edward Kian, a professor of sport management at Chowan University, believes the show can contribute to changing attitudes within the sport. “It could possibly help alter some antiquated attitudes in the NHL and amongst hockey fans,” Kian said. He emphasized that if fans can accept the possibility that some of the 736 athletes on NHL rosters might be gay, it could encourage more players to feel comfortable coming out.
Hockey’s traditionally hypermasculine culture, characterized by physicality and aggression, often deters players from revealing their sexual orientation. Jett Stone, a clinical psychologist who studies male behavior, noted that being perceived as different could be viewed as a liability within team dynamics. This perception, compounded by homophobic remarks in locker rooms, has led many LGBTQ+ youth to abandon the sport.
Kevin Corsino, who plays for Boston Pride Hockey, a league with approximately 400 members, shared his experience of leaving the sport due to pervasive homophobia. “I knew how to skate before I could walk,” Corsino recalled. After years of dealing with negative locker room environments, he found a welcoming space in Boston Pride Hockey. “I was so enthralled the moment I walked into that locker room,” he said.
Similarly, Jackie Farnham, another player from Boston Pride Hockey, attested to the intense presence of homophobic slurs in his earlier experiences. “It’s just so hypermasculine and aggressive,” he described, explaining how this atmosphere led him to step away from the sport. After discovering Boston Pride Hockey, he found an environment where he could express his identity openly.
Since the airing of Heated Rivalry, Corsino has received inquiries from LGBTQ+ individuals who had previously distanced themselves from hockey. He remains optimistic that the show will inspire more gay players to return to the ice.
The NHL has made strides toward inclusivity, partnering with the organization You Can Play to promote LGBTQ+ acceptance in sports. Teams continue to hold Hockey Is for Everyone nights, which aim to foster inclusivity across various identities and backgrounds. Despite some setbacks, such as the 2023 ban on specialty jerseys during themed nights, the league has shown resilience in its efforts to support the LGBTQ+ community.
Even if Heated Rivalry does not lead to immediate changes in the player roster, it has provided the gay community with a compelling narrative that has been long overdue. “The show has given us a fairy tale romance,” Buzinski noted, reflecting on the importance of representation in media. “Finally, we have one.”
As the Boston Bruins celebrate their annual event, they also highlight the potential for change within the sport, encouraging a more inclusive future for all players, regardless of their sexual orientation.
