Sydney Sweeney has found herself at the centre of a fresh controversy after starring in a provocative advertising campaign for sports prediction platform Novig.
The campaign features Sweeney posing with different sports equipment while wearing little clothing. The message is simple: “Just sports.”
But athletes aren’t exactly buying it.
Several female athletes have criticised the campaign, arguing that it turns women’s bodies into the main attraction while sidelining the actual athletes who compete in sport.
Four-time Olympic gold medallist Ariarne Titmus called out the campaign, questioning why women who dedicate their lives to sport are still being marketed through sexualisation.
Gymnast Gracie Kramer also joined the backlash, sharing footage of herself training alongside a pointed reminder of what women actually look like when they are doing sport.
Other athletes followed, posting pictures and videos from competitions, training sessions and medal ceremonies.
Basically, the internet response became:
“You want women in sports? Cool. Here’s the sport.”
Sweeney didn't appear to back down.
She shared images from ESPN’s famous Body Issue, which has previously featured elite athletes in nude or semi-nude shoots, including Serena Williams.
The apparent argument: if the bodies of professional athletes have been celebrated in these kinds of shoots before, why is her campaign being treated differently?
But critics say there’s a major difference.
The Body Issue was built around celebrating athletes and their bodies as part of their sporting identities. Sweeney’s campaign, critics argue, uses sexual appeal to promote a sports prediction platform.
And that distinction has become the heart of the controversy.
There’s another layer here.
Novig operates in the sports prediction space, meaning the campaign isn't simply selling fashion, beauty or entertainment. It is connected to sports betting and prediction.
Australian Olympian-turned-politician Zali Steggall has also criticised the campaign, raising concerns about sexualised advertising being used alongside gambling-related promotion.
So the debate isn't simply:
“Should Sydney Sweeney wear clothes?”
It is:
“Should women’s bodies be the marketing shortcut for selling sports and sports betting?”
The controversy is doing exactly what advertising is supposed to do:
Get everyone talking.
Sweeney is one of Hollywood’s biggest names, and the campaign has generated massive online attention for Novig.
And controversy isn't exactly new territory for her.
Her 2025 American Eagle campaign sparked a separate debate over its “great jeans” slogan and perceived genetic implications. Yet the backlash also pushed the campaign further into the cultural conversation.
Now, once again, the internet is debating the ad while the brand gets free publicity.
Coincidence?
Maybe.
Marketing genius?
You decide.
Because in the age of rage-bait advertising, there is one rule brands seem to understand very well:
If people are angry enough to repost your ad, congratulations — they’re advertising for you.
