Overview
- Novig ran a national campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney posed nearly nude and covering herself with sports equipment while saying lines that framed the product as “just sports.”
- Novig’s CEO said Sweeney helped drive the visuals and messaging and that she joined the company as a strategic partner and equity holder, making her role more than a paid talent placement.
- The ad generated huge short‑term attention, with tens of millions of views and a reported jump in online mentions, while Sweeney’s account lost and then partly regained hundreds of thousands of followers.
- Female athletes and public figures have publicly condemned the spot as sexualizing women in sport, and Sweeney and Novig have defended the concept and pointed to athletes’ prior nude shoots in response.
- The dispute highlights a tradeoff for Novig between rapid brand visibility and reputational risk, raises questions about gambling advertising near sports audiences, and could affect sponsors and public trust in women’s sport coverage.