Calkins defends the ad as sex-appeal marketing
Matt CalkinsSports columnist, writing for OutKick
Calkins says the ad used sex appeal to reach a mostly male market and rejects its description as a kick in the face to female athletes.
“It was an ad that used sex appeal to catch the eye of a mostly-male market — not a "kick in the face" to female athletes, as four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Ariarne Titmus suggested.”
Analysis
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
Analysis
About this source
Calkins defends the ad as marketing and criticizes its detractors. His claims about the campaign's financial effect are his assessment.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Calkins compares the ad with ESPN Magazine's Body Issue.
After the quotation
He praises Sweeney's business choices and attributes critics' hostility to jealousy. Those are his judgments.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The matter under scrutiny is Novig's sexualized sports campaign. Calkins defends that approach and rejects the claim that it insults female athletes.
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More from this case
Read the full caseJones and co-authors criticize sexualization and gambling appeals in Novig's ad
“The ad captures two troubling trends: how routinely women’s bodies are sexualized in digital media and how gambling companies use sexual appeal, and the implied promise of romantic or sexual reward, to target young men.”Read statement
Fortinsky renews his defense of Novig's Sweeney ad
“Ultimately, I think we have nothing to apologize for and are very proud of the work that we did,”Read statement
Norton-Cruz says the ad harms both women and men
“So while sexist marketing like this is harmful to women and girls, it isn’t doing men any favors either.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Calkins defends the ad as sex-appeal marketing". First published: 2026-10-25. Last updated: 2026-10-25. https://disputeindex.com/events/6699-calkins-says-the-ad-used-sex-appeal-to