Take us out to the ball game!
Attendees at a baseball game in Portland, Oregon, were treated to a steamy gay spectacle Tuesday ā and it's all thanks to the success of Heated Rivalry.
The Portland Pickles, a collegiate summer baseball organization, held a "Heated Riv-Dill-ry Night" Tuesday dedicated to the hit show. The highlight? Two men from the team shared a passionate kiss on the field after appearing to get into a heated confrontation. It turned out to be a scripted moment. After the pitcher hit the batter with the baseball, the players approached one another on the field and a hot make-out session commenced in front of the cheering crowd ā and to the tune of t.A.T.u.'s "All the Things She Said."
In advance of the theme night, which drew fans of HBO's hit gay hockey romance, the Portland Pickles promoted the game with some sexy Heated Rivalry innuendos, such as, "someone's definitely ending up in the penalty box."
Once the Pickles posted the video to social media, the clip took off and garnered over 1 million views in only 12 hours. The team's social account also hilariously captioned photos from the event with Heated Rivalry nods such as, "Our cottage was packed. Tongues were used. Things got heated."
The mainstream success of Heated Rivalry can't be denied. As fans eagerly wait for season 2 of the hit show to debut next spring, the hit gay series is still making headlines since it first premiered back in November.
The show's leading men, Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, have become household names overnight and LGBTQ+ representation in sports has become a much-discussed topic. In fact, Heated Rivalry has helped professional athletes to come out and speak up on their experiences competing in the closet. Even out Olympian Amber Glenn got in on the action by depicting her own "Hollanov" moment on the ice in a viral clip dedicated to the hit show.
Heated Rivalry season 2 premieres April 2027, but until then, enjoy the viral kiss in Portland below!
