Shane Hollander appeared in an episode of “Heated Rivalry” wearing a Team Canada fleece.
Now Province of Canada — a Canadian apparel company — is making the fleece available, and a nonprofit organization committed to LGBTQ inclusion in sports is the beneficiary.
You Can Play will receive 10% of all the proceeds from a newly produced fleece jacket from Province Of Canada, just like the one worn by Hollander — played by Hudson Williams — in the hit TV show “Heated Rivalry.”
Hollander wears the jacket when the character is in Sochi, Russia, for the 2014 Winter Olympics, competing in ice hockey for Team Canada.
“Sport has the power to bring people together,” said David Palumbo, president and chair of You Can Play, “and partnerships like this show what’s possible when storytelling, community, and sport come together to support inclusion.
“We’re grateful to the ‘Heated Rivalry’ team, Province of Canada, the NHL, and the NHLPA for standing with You Can Play and helping us continue the work of making hockey and sports everywhere a place where everyone belongs.”
Accent Aigu Entertainment, the production company owned by “Heated Rivalry” producer Jacob Tierney, is also part of the project.
“We chose You Can Play because their unwavering dedication to inclusivity mirrors the very heart of Heated Rivalry,” Tierney said in a statement.
So what do the NHL and NHLPA have to do with this, given the fleece is from a fictitious player in a fictitious pro hockey league? Both entities are matching the donations that go to You Can Play from the sales, up to a combined $50,000.
The commitment continues a long-standing display of support by the NHL and other hockey entities to the LGBTQ inclusion efforts of You Can Play.
You Can Play was launched in 2012 and has attracted the support of the NHL and various other professional sports leagues, along with widespread media attention. Since its launch the organization has focused its efforts on combating homophobic language in sports, welcoming LGBTQ athletes in hockey and other sports and elevated conversations of inclusion.
You can buy the white Team Canada fleece from Provice Of Canada on June 3.
To see the next season of “Heated Rivalry,” however, fans have some waiting to do. Season 2 of the show will hit TV screens in April 2027, over 16 months after the series debuted. The anticipation is only building.
Via Out Sports
Be the first to reply