Have you: 1) watched every episode of Heated Rivalry at least three times? 2) downloaded all the books? 3) started dabbling in fan edits? Cool, then you're probably casually wondering about desperately begging for season two. And we have some good news for you: Crave/HBO feels exactly the same way. Ahead, everything we know about the next installment of Heated Rivalry.
Has Heated Rivalry Been Renewed for Season 2?
Yes!!! Given the show's enormous popularity, it would have been shocking (SHOCKING) if Crave didn't renew it for a second season—but thankfully, season 2 is a go, per Deadline. Again, can't say this is a huge surprise, considering the cast has already been teasing a second season.
I mean, this Instagram caption speaks for itself:
What Will Heated Rivalry Season 2 Be About?
We're just speculating here since nothing's been announced about the plot just yet, but there are a few ways season 2 could go. First a few reminders:
- Heated Rivalry is mostly based on the second book in Rachel Reid's Game Changers series (also called Heated Rivalry), which focuses on Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov. It's also partially based on the first book in the series (called Game Changer), which focuses on Scott Hunter and Kip Grady.
- Shane and Ilya's love story continues in the sixth book in the series, The Long Game. Here's the plot description—blurred in case you want to remain spoiler-free!
Ten years. That’s how long Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov have been seeing each other. How long they’ve been keeping their relationship a secret. From friends, from family…from the league. If Shane wants to stay at the top of his game, what he and Ilya share has to remain secret. He loves Ilya, but what if going public ruins everything? Ilya is sick of secrets. Shane has gotten so good at hiding his feelings, sometimes Ilya questions if they even exist. The closeness, the intimacy, even the risk that would come with being open about their relationship…Ilya wants it all. It’s time for them to decide what’s most important—hockey or love. It’s time to make a call.
It seems likely that Heated Rivalry season 2 will cover The Long Game–but if the show follows the format of season 1, it will also weave in the story from one other book in the series. And here's the thing:
While Tough Guy (about hockey player Ryan Price and musician Fabian Salah) is the logical choice due to being book three, the show has already cast one of the leads from book four, Common Goal. Which brings us to...
Who Will Be in the Cast?
If our theories are correct, season 2 of Heated Rivalry will star...
- Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander
- Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov
- François Arnaud as Scott Hunter
- Robbie G.K. as Kip Grady
ANNNNND....
- Matthew Finlan as Kyle Swift
You might remember Kyle as Kip's bartender friend from Heated Rivalry, and he's a main character in Common Goal. Quick synopsis, also blurred for those who don't want to be spoiled:
Veteran goaltender Eric Bennett has faced down some of the toughest shooters on the ice, but nothing prepared him for his latest challenge—life after hockey. It’s time to make some big changes, starting with finally dating men for the first time. Graduate student Kyle Swift moved to New York nursing a broken heart. He’d sworn to find someone his own age to crush on (for once). Until he meets a gorgeous, distinguished silver fox hockey player. Despite their intense physical attraction, Kyle has no intention of getting emotionally involved. He’ll teach Eric a few tricks, have some mutually consensual fun, then walk away. Eric is more than happy to learn anything Kyle brings to the table. And Kyle never expected their friends-with-benefits arrangement to leave him wanting more. Happily-ever-after might be staring them in the face, but it won’t happen if they're too stubborn to come clean about their feelings. Everything they want is within reach… They just have to be brave enough to grab it.
When Will Heated Rivalry Season 2 Come Out?
Heated Rivalry season one had a pretty fast filming to streaming pipeline. Production began in April 2025 and it premiered just seven months later in November. So, if they follow this format, we could be looking at season 2 arriving this time next year!
Stay tuned because we'll (obviously) be keeping you updated.
