It started as a text. An idea inspired by what other universities around the country were doing evolved into a plan within 15 minutes. As three suitemates at WWU played around with what a lookalike competition at WWU could look like, the “Heated Rivalry Lookalike Contest” was born.
“We were like, ‘We hope someone puts it on… oh wait! What if we put it on?” said Hailey Hoobler, one of the three suitemates responsible for putting on the event.
Also responsible for the event were Lydia Campbell and Tess Telzrow, who both laughed about how quickly the group mobilized. According to them, within 15 minutes of first discussing the plan, they were already creating posters.
Based on the hit HBO romantic drama “Heated Rivalry,” which explores the themes of love and passion from the standpoint of two closeted gay athletes navigating a heteronormative world, the contest was open to anyone who wanted to enter, with most of the contestants being made up of people who were simply walking by Red Square when the event started. Based on how many people attended the event, it was clear that this show has had a significant impact on students at Western.
Hailey Hoobler uses a megaphone in Red Square to draw in more contestants. Hoobler was one of the 3 people responsible for the “Heated Rivalry lookalike contest” on Feb. 20, 2026. // Photo courtesy of Charlie Johnson
Jamie Ann Rogers is an assistant professor at Western who specializes in different forms of film, mostly those centered around social change. Dr. Rogers described the social impact of this show as being a sort of validation of representations of queer love in areas where these sorts of themes usually aren’t present.
While the long-term impact of this show has yet to be seen, Dr. Rogers believes it has begun to break down barriers in the hypermasculine spaces of male-dominated sports.
“A ‘Heated Rivalry’ lookalike contest is a great way to start conversations around these topics,” said Rogers. “I think it is such a fun idea!”
That “fun idea” was then plastered around campus and on social media, with students and community members only being given around two weeks' notice of the event occurring.
Beginning at 4 p.m. in Red Square, the contest featured 10 contestants who were each voted out in a series of three rounds, each round being different from the last. The first round featured each contestant walking an invisible walkway through the crowd of students and community members in attendance, with many of the contestants receiving thunderous ovations.
Contestants were eliminated based on a voting process where the crowd would cheer for who they wanted to stay on. Then, it was down to four. Two Ilya’s and two Shane’s, the main characters of the show.
It was here that contestants would recite iconic lines from the show, with Braeden Rowland receiving the biggest reactions for his portrayal of Shane Hollander. Having only been messaged the night before, Rowland was informed that he was entered into the contest by his roommate, giving him very little prep time to dress up for the competition.
Rowland’s favorite line he got to recite over the megaphone was, “Will you come to the cottage this summer?” For those who weren’t swayed before, Rowland’s delivery of some of the show’s most iconic lines seemed to get him over the finish line, with an almost unanimous decision from the crowd for who should win.
As if bragging rights weren’t enough, Rowland, as the winner, received a very special mug, filled to the brim with candy, condoms and suckers. As Rowland put it, “pretty much everything you would need as Shane Hollander.”
Braeden Rowland happily holds a beer mug filled with candy, condoms, and suckers in Red Square. This was his prize for winning the “Heated Rivalry Lookalike Contest” on Feb. 20, 2026. // Photo courtesy of Charlie Johnson
Rowland loved watching the hit show, stating his favorite part is how it’s been able to bring people together. While his victory may not have been on the ice, Rowland’s cool demeanor won the hearts of everyone in attendance.
According to Campbell, Hoobler and Telzrow, this is far from the last contest of its kind at Western, with the three promising more to come. To stay updated, you can follow them on their Instagram.
Chance Loewi (he/him) is a reporter for The Front’s campus life beat. He is a third-year news and editorial journalism major. In his free time, you can find him playing basketball or ping pong with his friends.
