Why 'Heated Rivalry' isn't eligible for the Emmy Awards
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
July 8, 2026, 12:24 PM EDT / Source: TODAYBy Chrissy Callahan, TODAY
"Heated Rivalry" launched a worldwide phenomenon when it premiered in November. But despite the TV series' massive popularity, it won't be taking home any awards when the 78th Emmy Awards airs this September.
The Television Academy announced its full list of nominees for the upcoming awards show on July 8. Each year, there are always surprises and snubs. But one of the hottest series of the 2025-26 season is already guaranteed to be excluded from the list, and it comes down to the Emmy Awards specific eligibility rules.
According to the Emmys' rules and procedures, foreign television production is ineligible "unless it is the result of a co-production (both financially and creatively) between U.S. and foreign partners, which precedes the start of production, and with a purpose to be shown on U.S. television."
"Heated Rivalry," based on Canadian author Rachel Reid's 2019 romantic hockey novel of the same name, was produced in Canada. The TV adaptation, which was first announced in June 2025, is original to Crave, a Canadian streamer.
"This was a Canadian book. We're Canadian producers," creator Jacob Tierney told "CBS Mornings" in February.
The show was able to air in the U.S. when, nine days before its November premiere, HBO Max announced it had acquired the rights.
According to IMDb, the show's country of origin is Canada. The website lists multiple production companies behind the show, including Bell Media, Bell Broadcast and New Media Fund, Accent Aigu Entertainment, Canada Media Fund, Crave and Sphere Abacus.
Tierney and "Heated Rivalry" co-creator Brendan Brady appeared on NPR's "Planet Money" in February to discuss the show and its production process. Brady said the show was "made in the Canadian system," which he described as "very different from the U.S."
"Heated Rivalry" is eligible for the International Emmy Awards, per The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline, which will be held Nov. 23 in New York City. Nominees will be announced in September.
Per the award's website, the International Emmy Awards feature 16 award categories.
Even though "Heated Rivalry" isn't eligible for the Emmy Awards, it has already won multiple accolades. At the 2026 Canadian Screen Awards, the show took home 16 awards, including best drama series and best lead performer, drama series, for Hudson Williams.
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I assume this TV production is only in the news because of its homosexual content. Naturally the LGBTQ+ will try to turn this into a controversy to push their political narrative.
And if it was the heartwarming series of a white South African farmer having to run for his life from reverse racism but got snubbed at the Emmy's because the book was written by a South African and produced by a South African, Fox News and every right-wing media outlet would be screaming at the top of their lungs about reverse racism and evil Hollywood and the white hating elites. Let's not try to pretend that there isn't a whole industry designed to sensationalize stories and evoke outrage so that you click on a link, like you and I both just did.
That's a lot of projection and speculation built upon something that doesn't exist. The seeded article spells out the rules for award eligibility. So, why is this even newsworthy?
It's as real as the fictional entity "LGTBQ+" that you seem to be claiming is "trying to turn this into a controversy to push their political narrative".
As I indicated, it's not. But it is 'click' bait that gets some people, likely those either opposed to or in support of gays being represented on film, arguing something that isn't even relevant because, as you point out, "the seeded article spells out the rules for award eligibility".
My point was that this is no different than the click bait used to attract white nationalists and white supremacists who think some white people somewhere are being treated unfairly so they must click and get involved and be outraged.