Female Athletes Criticize Sydney Sweeney’s Novig Ad for Sexualizing Sports

Key points

• Novig launched a national ad campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney in provocative, mostly nude poses with sports equipment, timed for the start of football season.
• Female athletes, including gymnast Gracie Kramer and Olympic 100-meter semifinalist Bree Masters, publicly criticized the ad, stating it sends the wrong message about women in sports.
• Sweeney and Novig defended the campaign as a 'playful' and 'confident' way to cut through noise and focus entirely on sports, with Sweeney serving as a strategic partner and equity holder.
• The controversy echoes Sweeney’s previous 2025 American Eagle campaign, which also drew widespread criticism for its provocative imagery.

Background

This is not Sweeney’s first high-profile advertising controversy. In 2025, her American Eagle campaign sparked significant online debate and criticism. More recently, in September 2026, Sweeney fronted a bold ad for Novig’s sports trading app, which also drew fire for its nude imagery. The current backlash from athletes adds a new dimension to the ongoing debate over how women are represented in sports media and advertising.

How outlets are covering it

NBC10 and NBC News both report on the backlash, with NBC News explicitly framing the ad as 'sexualized' and highlighting the 'male gaze' critique from athletes. Yahoo.com’s coverage, while not fully detailed in the provided text, suggests a broader cultural conversation, potentially including satirical responses like Chloe Fineman’s recreation of the ad. Novig and Sweeney, as per the press release, view the campaign as a bold, humorous statement to focus on sports, contrasting with the athletes' view that it is regressive and undermines their professional recognition.

Why it matters

The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in how women are represented in sports and advertising. It reflects a broader cultural debate about the balance between provocative marketing and respectful representation, particularly in a space where female athletes have long fought for recognition based on talent rather than appearance. The backlash from prominent athletes signals a shift in public sentiment and may influence how brands approach future campaigns featuring women in sports.

What to watch

Novig plans to continue the campaign across digital, social, online video, and out-of-home placements throughout football season, with additional creative and activations planned for the fall. The company has not indicated any changes to the campaign in response to the backlash. Sweeney’s role as a strategic partner and equity holder in Novig may also face scrutiny as the controversy unfolds.