Jacob Fortinsky on Women in Sports

Disputes concerning how women athletes and women’s sport are portrayed, marketed, or discussed publicly.

How we classify topics

Counts show individual statements. They do not assign an overall position.

Statement history

1 statement on this page. Dates: September 15, 2026

1 matching statement. Dates: September 15, 2026

2 published statements. Dates: September 15, 2026

Defended or excused

1 published statement. Dates: September 15, 2026

1 statement on this page. Dates: September 15, 2026

Jacob Fortinsky

Role at the time: Co-founder and CEO, Novig

September 15, 2026Defended or excused

Statement summary

Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky said the campaign never intended to portray women’s sport and that Sweeney drove its creative direction.

“We never intended to portray female sports. Sydney’s an actress, the biggest movie star in the world. We’re a prediction market that is focused on sports, and that is the story that she was communicating... It really was Sydney who was driving the visuals and the messaging.”

Open source

Novig CEO defends Sydney Sweeney ad, knew people who ‘hate her’ would be ‘loud’

Report on Jacob Fortinsky’s Front Office Sports interview defending the ad after the backlash, syndicated from USA Today’s For The Win.

Why we used this label

Fortinsky defends the campaign as never having intended to portray women’s sport and frames the backlash as expected and not a fair reading of the ad’s purpose — an express defense of the conduct under scrutiny.

Read statement Sydney Sweeney’s Novig "Just Sports" ad draws backlash over sexualizing women’s sport