Actress Sydney Sweeney has found herself at the centre of a widening controversy this September over a promotional campaign for Novig, the US sports prediction and trading platform in which she holds an equity stake.
The ad shows Sweeney playing various sports while using sporting equipment, such as footballs and a basketball hoop, to cover herself in place of conventional attire, with the accompanying message positioning Novig as “just sports.” Critics have argued the execution undercuts that message, contending that the ad sexualises rather than showcases sport.
The backlash has been led by prominent athletes. Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus called the campaign infuriating, describing it as a setback for women who dedicate their careers to athletic excellence rather than being reduced to their physical appearance. Several other sportswomen and former athletes responded by posting their own training photos and videos, captioned to emphasise what women in sport genuinely look like, framing the ad as a regressive moment for women’s sports representation.
Sweeney has not issued a formal statement addressing the criticism directly. Instead, she referenced past ESPN “Body Issue” covers featuring prominent female athletes in similarly minimal attire via her Instagram stories, closing the sequence with an image from her own campaign – an implicit defence drawing a parallel between the two.
Novig’s CEO has defended the ad, saying the resulting controversy has succeeded in pushing the brand into mainstream conversation, regardless of the criticism it has attracted.
