Sydney Sweeney’s sports trading ad draws backlash from athletes

Key Points:

• Sydney Sweeney stars in Novig’s new national ad campaign promoting the sports trading platform, featuring provocative images of her with sports gear to emphasize the company’s “Just Sports” focus.
• The campaign has drawn criticism from female athletes like gymnast Gracie Kramer and Olympic semifinalist Bree Masters, who argue the ads misrepresent what women in sports truly look like.
• Novig defends the campaign’s provocative approach as intentional, aiming to cut through the noise with confidence, humor, and a playful edge, while Sweeney also serves as a strategic partner and equity holder in the company.
• Novig, launched nationwide last month, markets itself as a sports-focused prediction market with a 21-and-over age restriction, combining financial exchange mechanics with a sports-first experience.
• This is not the first time Sweeney’s advertising work has sparked debate, following controversy over her 2025 American Eagle campaign; now, female athletes are voicing their perspectives on her latest sports-related promotion.