Over the past few days, the conversation around the Heated Rivalry fleece has moved well beyond social media. Both CBC and The Globe and Mail have now covered the “release the fleece” movement, looking at how a brief moment in Heated Rivalry sparked a much larger discussion around Canadian merch, representation, and fandom.

You can read the coverage here:

CBC:
https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/heated-rivalry-fleece-9.7035705

The Globe and Mail:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/style/article-could-viral-heated-rivalry-fleece-become-official-team-canada-merch/

What’s been especially meaningful is how closely the coverage reflects what many of you have shared in your comments. This isn’t just about a piece of clothing. It’s about visibility, inclusion, pride, and seeing queer stories exist openly within hockey culture and Canadian identity. It’s also about how organic fan enthusiasm can grow into something far bigger than expected.

The petition has now passed 3,300 signatures, with support continuing to come in from across Canada and around the world. At this point, we’re still waiting to hear back from Team Canada. There’s no update yet, but the continued visibility helps demonstrate that the interest is real, sustained, and coming from a wide audience.

Thank you for taking the time to sign, share your stories, and keep this conversation thoughtful and respectful. I’ll share another update as soon as there’s anything new to report.