Actor Sydney Sweeney responded on Monday, September 14, 2026, to criticism regarding her advertisement for the sports prediction market app Novig. The clip features Sweeney appearing nearly nude while using sporting equipment to cover herself and repeatedly stating the word "sports." A group of female athletes and organizations have publicly criticized the campaign, stating it objectifies women and undermines their efforts to be recognized for athletic skill.
Sweeney, who serves as a strategic partner and equity holder for Novig, stated to Variety that the campaign was intended to "cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports." She described the concept as a "fun idea" that utilized "confidence, humor and a playful edge." Following the release of the ad, several professional athletes posted videos on social media to express their disagreement with the campaign's approach to representing women in sports.
Gymnast Gracie Kramer, sprinter Bree Rizzo, and boxer Skye Nicolson were among those who posted content contrasting their athletic training with the imagery in the advertisement. The Female Athlete Project, an online platform, released a statement asserting that the ad treated women's bodies as commodities and that the objectification did not support real women in sports. Olympian Jocelyn Bartram stated that the campaign sexualized women's sports at a time when female athletes are still seeking equal recognition with their male counterparts.
The dispute involves female professional athletes and sports media consumers navigating standards for how women are represented in sports marketing. While Sweeney and Novig intended the ad to be a way to promote a gambling app, the response from athletes like Tilly Kearns and Jocelyn Bartram suggests a divide in how different groups view the commercialization of the female body in athletic contexts. Athletes shared videos to emphasize their physical capabilities over their appearance.
Athletes expressed concern that such advertisements make it more difficult for them to be viewed as equals to male athletes, affecting their public perception. The athletes' responses indicate that they believe such portrayals can impact how their skills, dedication, and resilience are valued.
Sweeney's response involved sharing images on her Instagram story of other athletes who have posed nude for ESPN’s Body Issue series, such as Serena Williams and Ronda Rousey. No specific court dates or legislative votes are associated with this event.