What happened when BookTok was unleashed on the Seattle Kraken

It's no secret that BookTok, the nickname for TikTok's enthusiastic community of readers, loves a hockey romance. 

But a recent crossover-gone-wrong between the online community and a real-life NHL team has left hockey and romance fans alike wondering where the line is when it comes to online discourse.

For about a year, the Seattle Kraken leaned into the BookTok community and their penchant for hockey romance novels by posting slow-motion videos of players doing everything from drinking water to walking by in suits. The team's forward, Alex Wennberg, quickly became popular with BookTok users and became a viral fixture on BookTok.

WATCH | Kierra Lewis' TikTok vlog from a Seattle Kraken warm-up:

One user, Kierra Lewis, garnered particular attention for her playful and somewhat raunchy sports romance content. Lewis's content was so popular that the Kraken invited her to attend a playoff game, and even gifted her a custom jersey with "BookTok" emblazoned on the back.

Earlier this month, however, the relationship between BookTok and the Kraken took an uncomfortable turn. What started out as lighthearted and flirty, fun content about the team later turned "vile," according to Wennberg himself. The player and his wife both asked users via Instagram to stop posting explicit comments and sexualized content about him.

Culture critic Stacy Lee Kong and romance author Farah Heron join host Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about what happens when companies try to capitalize on niche communities, and what it means to thirst responsibly on the internet.

We've included some highlights below, edited for length and clarity. For the full discussion, listen and follow the Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud podcast, on your favourite