Bell Media funded its hit show alone after potential co-producers wanted to dilute its strong Canadian elements and reduce its explicit content. This calculated risk to maintain creative integrity was central to the show's authentic appeal and eventual success.
Bell Media de-risked the niche 'gay hockey romance' concept by adapting a book series with a pre-existing, highly engaged fanbase. This built-in audience was a key factor in the greenlight decision and drove early word-of-mouth, reducing the need for a massive promotional spend.
Bell Media's president identifies agility as a key competitive advantage. With fewer layers of bureaucracy, the Canadian company can make faster greenlight decisions than its larger global counterparts, where projects can get stuck in a 'slow maybe.'
While competitors chased other trends, Bell Media's team identified the romance category as undervalued and underrepresented in streaming. This strategic insight, based on 18 months of research, led them to actively seek out a romance project, which became their global hit 'Heated Rivalry'.
Instead of diluting cultural specificity for global appeal, Bell Media leaned into the authentic Canadian identity of 'Heated Rivalry'. Its success in China, the UK, and Australia proves that hyper-local, specific stories can resonate with international audiences more than generic, watered-down content.
Countering the common Canadian anxiety over talent 'brain drain' to the US or UK, Bell Media's president states he doesn't care where creatives live. The focus is solely on collaborating with top Canadian talent, whether they are in Toronto or Los Angeles, effectively globalizing the talent pool.
Contrary to the traditional television model where shows become profitable only in later seasons (3-5), 'Heated Rivalry' was an immediate financial driver from its first season. This signals a shift in content economics, where breakout streaming hits can deliver significant returns much faster.
While many US media companies view news as a burden, Bell Media leverages its local and national news divisions as a key strategic differentiator. Reaching 98% of Canadians monthly, news provides a level of daily relevance and a direct audience relationship that global platforms like Netflix cannot replicate.