Hollywood actor Sydney Sweeney is facing criticism over a new advertising campaign for sports prediction company Novig, with several female athletes objecting to the way the campaign portrays women. Social media tracking data has also reported a decline of more than 200,000 followers on Sweeney’s Instagram account, although the available data cannot establish that all of those unfollows were caused by the campaign.
The campaign, titled “Just Sports,” launched on September 9 and features Sweeney in provocative scenes involving basketball, football and tennis equipment. One scene shows her sitting on a basketball hoop, while another features her near a pool table. The campaign has since generated significant discussion online.
Female athletes criticize the campaign
Several female athletes have publicly questioned the advertising approach. Four-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ariarne Titmus questioned why women’s bodies continue to be presented in a sexualized manner to sell sports-related products.
American gymnast Gracie Kramer contrasted the campaign with what she described as the reality of women participating in sport, while British athlete Amy Hunt highlighted the physical demands associated with competitive sport.
World champion boxer Skye Nicolson said there was nothing inherently wrong with a woman embracing her appearance and femininity, but argued that using sexual appeal to promote sports products was a separate issue. Australian athletes including Tilly Kearns and Lani Pallister also criticized the campaign.
Sweeney points to previous athlete campaigns
Sweeney has not apologized for the campaign. In response to the criticism, she cited ESPN’s “Body Issue,” in which athletes including Serena Williams and Ronda Rousey have previously posed with limited clothing.
Critics have drawn a distinction between the two approaches, arguing that ESPN’s feature presented athletes’ bodies within the context of their sporting achievements, while the Novig campaign uses Sweeney’s appearance to promote a sports prediction product.
Sweeney has financial ties to Novig
Sweeney’s relationship with Novig extends beyond a conventional brand ambassador arrangement. According to the report, she is a strategic partner and equity holder in the company, giving her a financial interest in the business. Novig has also said that Sweeney herself proposed the partnership.
Despite the reported decline in followers, Sweeney continues to have millions of Instagram followers. Social media tracking services cannot establish that the reported unfollows were directly caused by the advertising campaign, although the timing of the decline coincided with the growing criticism.
Sweeney faced advertising controversy in 2025
The latest controversy follows criticism of Sweeney’s 2025 partnership with American Eagle for its “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign. That campaign attracted debate over the wording used in the advertisements and interpretations related to race and genetics.
Sweeney later said she had been surprised by the reaction. American Eagle subsequently reported increased new customers and brand awareness following the campaign and continued its partnership with the actor.
The Novig campaign has similarly generated substantial online attention. Some observers have suggested that the controversy could itself have contributed to the campaign’s visibility, although the source material does not establish whether the backlash was intentionally planned as part of the marketing strategy.