Fortinsky renews his defense of Novig's Sweeney ad
Jacob FortinskyNovig co-founder, speaking in a CNBC interview
Fortinsky says Novig has no reason to apologize and remains proud of the ad. He says its purpose was to explain the platform rather than represent women athletes.
“Ultimately, I think we have nothing to apologize for and are very proud of the work that we did,”
Interview
Where this statement fits
Sydney Sweeney’s Novig "Just Sports" ad draws backlash over sexualizing women’s sport
Novig, a U.S. sports prediction market in which Sydney Sweeney is a strategic partner and equity holder, released a "Just Sports" ad campaign on September 9, 2026, in which Sweeney appears nude or minimally clothed while covering herself with sports equipment. The ad drew public criticism from a number of female athletes, who said it sexualizes women’s sport; Novig’s CEO and at least one columnist publicly disputed that characterization.
Source and context
Interview
About this source
Fortinsky renews his defense of the ad and supplies company growth figures to CNBC. The comparisons cover the 20 days before and after launch, a period that also included the start of the NFL season.
Before the quotation
CNBC reports company growth figures following the campaign and summarizes female athletes' objections to the ad.
After the quotation
Fortinsky says the team respects others' opinions and supports women's sports. He also discusses responsible business risk-taking.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
He explicitly defends the disputed advertising campaign against the criticism that it harmed women's sport.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Sydney Sweeney, Novig
More from this case
Read the full caseJen Psaki criticizes the message of Novig’s Sydney Sweeney ad
“But the problem is the message an ad like this sends about women in sports.”Read statement
Sophie Cunningham on the backlash: “Why are girls mad?… Go do your thing sis”
“Why are girls mad? That is literally what she does… Men, sports, naked women. Of course that’s gonna draw attention… Go do your thing sis”Read statement
Ron Elfenbein defends the Novig ad's "aspirational" approach
“advertising being aspirational again... is a good thing... you want people to look at your product and say, I want to feel good.”Read statement
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- Fortinsky renews his defense of Novig's Sweeney ad
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The Dispute Index. "Fortinsky renews his defense of Novig's Sweeney ad". First published: 2026-10-08. Last updated: 2026-10-08. https://disputeindex.com/events/5206-fortinsky-says-novig-has-no-reason-to-apologize