Fortinsky says Sweeney drove the ad's visuals and messaging
Jacob FortinskyCo-founder and CEO, Novig
Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky said Sydney Sweeney "was driving a lot of the visuals and the messaging" in the ad, shifting creative responsibility for its content toward her.
“It really was Sydney who was driving a lot of the visuals and the messaging.”
Reporting
Other statements by Jacob Fortinsky in this case
- Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky: the ad "never intended to portray female sports"Same day: Defended or excused
- Fortinsky renews his defense of Novig's Sweeney adLater: Defended or excused
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
Reporting
About this source
Front Office Sports report on Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky's September 15, 2026 remarks at the "Asset Class" event, attributing the ad's visuals and messaging to Sweeney.
Before the quotation
Speaking at the Front Office Sports "Asset Class" event in New York, September 15, 2026.
After the quotation
The remark triggered its own follow-on coverage cycle, including outlets asking whether Novig was blaming Sweeney for the backlash.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Fortinsky shifts creative responsibility for the ad's content onto Sweeney rather than defending or condemning the ad's substance outright -- a distinct claim from his earlier 'never intended to portray female sports' statement, reframing the dispute over who is responsible without resolving whether the ad itself was appropriate.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- Sydney Sweeney
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
Calkins defends the ad as sex-appeal marketing
“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.”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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- Fortinsky says Sweeney drove the ad's visuals and messaging
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The Dispute Index. "Fortinsky says Sweeney drove the ad's visuals and messaging". First published: 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-09-17. https://disputeindex.com/events/862-novig-ceo-jacob-fortinsky-said-sydney-sweeney-was