If you've been paying attention to the conversation around prestige TV lately, you've heard about HEATED RIVALRY.

The Canadian sports romance series, created, written, and directed by Jacob Tierney for Crave and streaming on HBO Max in the U.S., has taken the world by storm. Based on Rachel Reid's beloved Game Changers novel series, it follows two rival professional hockey players whose on-ice animosity conceals a passionate secret romance. It stars Hudson Williams, Connor Storrie, François Arnaud, Christina Chang, and Dylan Walsh. It's been praised by critics, devoured by audiences, and has done something remarkable: it literally increased NHL ticket sales.

And on March 24th at 3pm PT, Jacob Tierney is sitting down exclusively with Stage 32 Writers' Room members for a live Q&A.

What you’ll learn from this Q&A

HEATED RIVALRY is not just a great show. It's a masterclass in every challenge working writers face right now.

First, it's a book-to-screen adaptation: one of the most in-demand skills in the industry as studios and streamers race to option IP. It's an LGBTQ+ sports story at a moment when diverse, underrepresented narratives in genre storytelling are actively being sought. It's a Canadian independent production that secured U.S. distribution with a major streamer, proving that the independent model ( packaging projects outside the traditional studio system), is not just viable, it's thriving. I’d go as far as saying it’s the future.

And it's a show that everyone said wouldn't sell.

Jacob Tierney took a story that lived in the hearts of romance novel readers, figured out how to translate it for television without losing what made it special, navigated the business side of international co-production, and got it onto one of the biggest streaming platforms in the world. The path from page to screen was not straightforward... and that's exactly what makes this conversation so valuable.

What We'll Cover

In this exclusive Writers' Room Q&A, Jacob will go deep on the questions that actually matter to working writers:

How do you adapt a beloved novel for TV without alienating the source material's fanbase — and what do you change when you have to? How do you pitch a story that doesn't fit the traditional mold and get a buyer to say yes? What does the business of international co-production actually look like, and how do you secure U.S. distribution from Canada? How do you write authentic LGBTQ+ and sports stories without falling into stereotypes? What mistakes did he make, and what would he do differently?

And the best part? You'll have the chance to ask Jacob your questions directly. This is a live, interactive session. Bring everything you've been wanting to ask a creator and showrunner who has actually done it.

The Market Right Now

Sports romance is exploding. The appetite for emotionally grounded, character-driven stories in genre spaces is real and growing. Book-to-screen adaptations are one of the most active areas of development at every major studio and streamer. And independent productions are increasingly arriving at the table already packaged, already partially financed, already built, giving creators the kind of leverage and creative control that the traditional development process rarely allows.

HEATED RIVALRY didn't just succeed in spite of the system. It found a way around it. If you're a writer trying to figure out how to do the same, this is the conversation you need to be in.

How to Register

This Q&A is exclusively for Stage 32 Writers' Room members and takes place on March 24th at 3pm PT.

Log into your Writers' Room portal to register and secure your spot.

Not a Writers' Room member yet? Your first month is free — and this conversation alone is worth it. Click here to sign up now!

And if you missed Friday's FREE Webcast Event- Heated Rivalry: Breaking Down The Script, you can click here to catch the entire thing on-demand!

Let's hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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