Empty Netters host privately called Heated Rivalry ‘trash,’ show creators ‘losers’ and ‘cowards’

Former hockey players and brothers Dan and Chris Powers have drawn widespread media and fan attention for their slavish praise of the show “Heated Rivalry” on their podcast “Empty Netters.” 

The podcasters have become the faces of straight men loving this show about gay hockey players falling in love. Just this week, Vulture kicked off its article about watching straight men watch “Heated Rivalry” featuring the Empty Netters. Rolling Stone followed suit.

Yet in a series of text messages — sent to multiple recipients and seen by Outsports — one of the podcast hosts, Dan Powers, was highly critical of the show while at the same time the podcast, and Dan personally, were publicly effusive in their praise.

“I think these losers who made this show are cowards,” Dan wrote of “Heated Rivalry” in one text message Outsports has seen, bemoaning the fact that the producers are “Canadian for crying out loud.” 

Then: “This is the trash they make because it panders, it’s provocative, and it checks inclusivity boxes.”

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In fact, in the early days of the public reaction to “Heated Rivalry,” Powers was so incensed by the positive response to the show that he bemoaned the gushing response was “making blue haired twitter happy.”

He added that he refused to give the show “the time of day” simply “out of principle.”

Yet once Powers and “Empty Netters” — and the rest of the world — saw the show’s positive reaction building into an avalanche, they did, in fact, give “Heated Rivalry” much more than the time of day, and they did so with gusto. 

‘Empty Netters’ hosts have publicly loved ‘Heated Rivalry’

From their first episode about the show — a couple of weeks after it began airing on HBO max — Powers was publicly glowing, as was everyone involved with the podcast.

“What I loved about this is they throw us into the show,” Dan said of one scene from the series’ first episode. “They’re like, ‘Were you expecting a hockey show? Wrong. This is horned-up action baby. Strap in.’ 

“And I was like, ‘Let’s f**ing go.'”

Reacting to another Episode 1 scene, he said:

“I thought this was cute as hell. They start laughing with each other. … I thought it was great.”

His overall take on Episode 1, after calling it “trash” in private?

“This show is out of control in all the best ways,” Dan said on their podcast. “Can’t wait for Episode 2. Cannot wait.”

Powers’ love of the show, even while offering soft critique of some of the hockey in it, became over-the-top effusive for their Episode 2 recap, coming just a few days later.

It is unclear how to explain the divergence between Dan Powers’ private disdain for the show and his often over-the-top public worship of it. 

Outsports reached out to Powers for comment and has yet to receive a response.

Outsports has found other public comments that have raised questions with some.

As “Empty Netters” was “heating” up in December, Dan dismissed allegations of misogyny for using the term “puck sl*t,” as he declared himself a “sl*t” for “Heated Rivalry.”

Yet his dismissal of other comments has not come as easy, with this comment and video from Dan:

“We’re just letting all these places exist like this with these pretentious wannabe tiktoking c**ts serving me poorly,” Dan said of an upscale social club in the video.

Embracing ‘Heated Rivalry’ has driven massive following, merchandise

Discussing “Heated Rivalry” on their podcast has increased the “Empty Netters” YouTube viewership by nearly 50 times compared to shows that discuss other hockey topics. For example, their recaps of Episodes 3, 4 and 5 averaged nearly 500,000 views. In contrast, the nine most recent non-“Heated Rivalry” episodes averaged 13,500.

In addition, their “Empty Netters” shop is selling $32 “Heated Rivalry” T-shirts and $45 crew necks, emblazoned with the words “From the closet to the cottage,” an homage to a key storyline of the series.

“Words cannot describe how much it means to me that a bunch of straight dudes care this much for the community,” wrote one person on Reddit celebrating the “Heated Rivalry” merchandise being sold by “Empty Netters.” 

However, another Reddit user echoed concerns that have been simmering across social media as a low rumble for weeks.

“This merch drop feels very grifty,” they wrote. “They’ve been asked multiple times if they’d be donating proceeds and they have not answered. I clocked how performative it was right away.”

One gay hockey player in Los Angeles – who asked to remain anonymous – told Outsports he was “disappointed but not surprised” to hear the private disdain voiced by Dan Powers, sharing his own struggle to come out in his life as an athlete in hockey.

“His comments in private are why so many people are still scared to come out,” he said. “It’s very disappointing to hear.”

The gay hockey player also bemoaned the fact that Dan has hidden his criticism from his listeners and even guests.

“Some of the actors from the show went on their podcast,” he said. “If they knew about these private messages, I doubt they would have.”

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