Sydney Sweeney’s Novig "Just Sports" ad draws backlash over sexualizing women’s sport
Sydney Sweeney, an equity holder in sports-prediction platform Novig, starred in a nude ad campaign that female athletes say sexualizes women's sport. Novig's CEO and a Guardian columnist publicly disputed that characterization.
Claim in dispute
The Novig "Just Sports" ad campaign sexualizes women’s sport and demeans the work of women who compete in it, rather than showcasing athletic skill.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
Sydney Sweeney is a strategic partner and equity holder in Novig, a sports prediction market. The campaign followed her 2025 American Eagle "great jeans" campaign, which drew separate, unrelated criticism over eugenics-adjacent wordplay; that earlier controversy is background only and is not part of this case. Novig launch press release (opens in a new tab) describes the campaign’s stated intent and Sweeney’s equity stake.
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
The Novig "Just Sports" ad campaign sexualizes women’s sport and demeans the work of women who compete in it, rather than showcasing athletic skill.
Response record
Responses
Latest recorded positions: 9. Dates: September 13, 2026 to September 15, 2026
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
2 responses on this page
Marina Hyde "Come on. With respect, I just don’t think it’s a kick in the face for any of those things... I can’t help feeling it would have been cooler for women’s sport to simply not even mention the naked gambling ad at all."
Open source (opens in a new tab)Are you outraged by Sydney Sweeney – again? More fool youChallenged the characterizationCase context: Sydney Sweeney’s Novig "Just Sports" ad draws backlash over sexualizing women’s sport
Why this label?
Hyde’s signed column directly disputes Titmus’s "kick in the face" characterization and argues the backlash is disproportionate, challenging how the ad has been characterized rather than defending its content on the merits.
This label describes the statement’s response within the context above.
Read context and background
Guardian columnist Marina Hyde argued in a signed opinion column that the backlash against the Novig ad is disproportionate.
Role at the time: Columnist, The Guardian
Before the statement
Published as a signed opinion column in The Guardian.
After the statement
Hyde’s column was published the day after Fortinsky’s Front Office Sports defense and directly quotes Titmus’s statement to rebut it.
Skye Nicolson "There’s a big difference between looking ‘sexy’ because you do sport compared to use sex to sell ‘sport’. There is nothing wrong with looking good and doing sport and there’s nothing wrong with embracing your femininity while also being a badass athlete."
Open source (opens in a new tab)Sydney Sweeney under fire for ‘sexualising women’s sport’ in sports prediction adChallenged the characterizationCase context: Sydney Sweeney’s Novig "Just Sports" ad draws backlash over sexualizing women’s sport
Why this label?
Nicolson distinguishes "looking sexy because you do sport" from "using sex to sell sport," disputing how the ad’s critics and defenders alike are framing the issue rather than issuing a blanket condemnation or defense.
This label describes the statement’s response within the context above.
Read context and background
Skye Nicolson argued the objection to the Novig ad is about using sex to sell sport, not about athletes looking attractive.
Role at the time: Professional boxer; world champion
Before the statement
Posted to an Instagram story on or around September 14, 2026.
After the statement
Quoted directly by The Guardian.
Sources
(8)
Original video
Novig is Just Sports (campaign video)
About this source
Novig’s "Just Sports" campaign video featuring Sydney Sweeney, posted to Novig’s YouTube channel on the campaign launch date. The primary material at the center of this dispute.
- Published
- Accessed
Analysis
Are you outraged by Sydney Sweeney – again? More fool you
About this source
Marina Hyde’s signed Guardian opinion column arguing the backlash against Sweeney is disproportionate.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Novig CEO defends Sydney Sweeney ad, knew people who ‘hate her’ would be ‘loud’
About this source
Report on Jacob Fortinsky’s Front Office Sports interview defending the ad after the backlash, syndicated from USA Today’s For The Win.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Sydney Sweeney fires back at trolls after facing criticism online for provocative sports ad
About this source
Fox News report directly quoting the caption ("It’s gamedayyyy") on Sweeney’s Sept. 13 Instagram response to the backlash.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Sydney Sweeney Addresses Sports Ad Controversy on Instagram Story
About this source
TODAY.com report quoting Gracie Kramer’s Instagram post and her NBC News interview, and describing Sweeney’s Sept. 9 Complex interview quote.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Sydney Sweeney’s ‘sexualized’ sports betting ad slammed by Canadian athletes
About this source
CBC News report quoting Cassidy Gray’s TikTok video and Molly Carlson’s Instagram post, plus Jacob Fortinsky’s launch-day quote.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Amy Hunt: Sydney Sweeney betting ad risks being a ‘barrier’ to girls in sport
About this source
ESPN report quoting Amy Hunt’s Good Morning Britain interview about the ad, including her caveat that her criticism is not personal toward Sweeney.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Sydney Sweeney under fire for ‘sexualising women’s sport’ in sports prediction ad
About this source
The Guardian’s report on the athlete-led backlash, directly quoting Ariarne Titmus’s Instagram Story and Skye Nicolson’s Instagram post.
- Published
- Accessed
Corrections
(0)
Corrections address errors in our reporting or labels. When a speaker changes their position, we add a separate statement and link it to the earlier one.
No corrections on this page.