‘Hometown Giants’: How Michael Bublé & Drew Scott Became Hockey Team Co-Owners

Michael Bublé and Drew Scott are excited to welcome fans into the world of Canadian junior ice hockey through their new show, Hometown Giants.

The Prime Video series, which dropped on Friday, October 16, showcases Bublé and Scott as co-owners of the Vancouver Giants, a Western Hockey League (WHL) team. The six-episode season follows the team’s young players and staff, old and new, as they try to win the team’s first championship since 2007.

“Whether somebody likes hockey or not, you’ll connect with the kids, especially through to the end; you’ll really connect with the emotional journey,” Scott said in an exclusive interview with TV Insider.

Though the show is about a hockey team, the celebrity stars created the series with fans unfamiliar with the sport in mind. “Anyone out there that has a passion in life, anyone out there — whether you’re a teenager or a young adult, or whether you have kids that are of that age that you really want to see them achieve what they’re going after —I think those are the people who we wanted to really love this series,” Scott shared. “It’s highlighting all the ups and downs, the trials and tribulations that these kids go through to get that one shot at the NHL. And I think pulling back the curtains to show unprecedented access to what that journey is like is crazy.”

Bublé, for his part, added, “It becomes life and death for these kids, and it’s everything they’ve [always] wanted. And so, you can’t really ask for more drama than that. … Someone like my wife [Luisana Lopilato], who isn’t a hockey fan, just loves the storytelling, loves the human interest, and completely buys in, and can’t wait to see what happens next.”

Here, the HGTV star and The Voice alum open up about their journey with the team and the advice they received from Welcome to Wrexham‘s Ryan Reynolds.

Talk about your journey becoming co-owners of the team. Michael, you were attached to the team for a few years before Drew came along, so what was it like bringing him into the mix?

Michael Bublé: It was thrilling for me to bring Drew into the mix. And it wasn’t like Drew went like, ‘Yeah, okay.’ There was no discussion about ‘here’s how much money we could make,’ because it was never going to be a money-making thing. The discussion was, ‘Hey, dude. You and I were grown here. I’ve known you from before you were ever famous or successful. How cool would it be for us to join forces and to give back to the community?’ And that really was, I mean, it was really special for me.

When I joined the team, the co-owners were Gordie Howe — whose nickname is ‘Mr. Hockey’ because he is an icon, a legend, a Mount Rushmore kind of individual — and Pat Quinn, who is a hero to a lot of people. Great hockey man and a well-respected and beloved player, coach, [and general manager]. And so, going from that ownership group to the one we have now felt just so fulfilling to me because it was just so classy and there was just a lot of light and a lot of goodness. And it was really putting the kids first and making sure that there was a safe environment for these young men to grow, not just as players, but as human beings. And I knew that adding Drew into that mix was perfect for what we had.

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Drew Scott: I have no desire to join a league just to be a known, recognized TV face that’s maybe gonna post on social media or do some interviews to help a team because that’s not of interest. I only invest in things I’m passionate about, which is my hometown and sports in general. And then also, as Mike dove in more about the kids and their journey and the story and the team, what they do for these kids, that’s what really hooked me.

And then, the thought of being able to use my experience in production, producing for 20 years, to be able to bring a highlight to the team so that people — in less than a day, the entire world is going to know the Vancouver Giants. We’re going to be in over 240 countries [and] territories, and I think that’s pretty exciting to bring that kind of eyeball to a team that’s already amazing. Everyone has a story, and we’re able to highlight ours and our kids here.

Bublé: It isn’t slick. This is not a promotion for the Vancouver Giants or WHL hockey. This is a documentary where the curtain has been pulled back, and you get to take the ride. And I think that’s, just to me, was so brave of not just the players, coaches, WHL, to be [willing] enough to let that happen.

Scott: We didn’t end up being the winning, the champion team that we all dreamed and wanted to happen.

Bublé: Not a Cinderella story, nope.

Scott: But I think it does show real life, and I think it shows how hard you work. And it also shows when things don’t work out, you pick yourself up and dust off, and just wait to see what comes next.

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That just means there has to be a Season 2, and you have to win this year.

Scott: Are you telling us that Prime Video told you we’re going to Season 2 already?

Bublé: Let me tell you. I was watching the opening game. I was here for our opener a couple weeks ago. And I can’t lie, I was like, ‘Ah, would there be a second season?’ And we were losing, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God. We’re losing! It’s happening again.’ And then, with a minute left, we tied the game, and I was like, ‘Is this the greatest beginning to a Season 2 ever?’ And then, in overtime, we won, and I was like, ‘Oh! It’s writing itself.’

Scott: And the momentum’s been happening. Good for me, I always have 16 cameras with me everywhere I go, so they’ve been picking things up.

Have you heard from any other celebrity sports team owners? In Episode 1, there’s a funny moment where Ryan Reynolds warns you guys to ‘don’t do it.’

Scott: We both are connected in unique ways to so many different people, especially in the sports world, especially with hockey. So, we’ve had a lot of conversations with different people that have just said they’re excited for us, and that’s the main thing. Ryan had the best advice, I think, out of anybody, in the sense of just saying, ‘Be yourselves.’ We don’t want to put on like we’re pretending we’re sports franchise gurus and we know what we’re doing. That’s kind of what makes this a good show. We don’t exactly know what we’re doing, but we’re just doing the best we can with what we know, and I love that. And so, whether it was hockey or basketball or soccer or anything in between, we just want these kids to have the best chance at their future, and highlighting that story in a way that impacts them in a positive way is important to me.

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Hockey has really exploded in pop culture over the past year. What’s it like to have your show about a real hockey team with real-life consequences come out at a time when hockey is having such a huge moment?

Scott: I love it. For me, in many ways, if you think about Heated Rivalry, if you think about – there are a bunch of new series and films coming too, and they’re all shooting in Canada, which I love. I think that it’s a time where we can highlight the real team and what we do, what the Giants do, what the WHL does to give these kids the best shot and set the most positive experience for them at this time in their lives. Again, these are kids that have egos, insecurities, and they’re trying to shape their future. We can be a part of that and set an example for that.

Bublé: And I’m such a hockey nerd that I had no idea that hockey wasn’t always just the most popular thing ever.

Scott: Hockey is. I mean, if you’re Canadian, it’s times 10.

Bublé: Yeah, dude. It’s an everyday thing for me.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Hometown Giants Season 1, Now Streaming, Prime Video