There’s no such thing as bad publicity, right? That’s how the saying goes, but the jury is still out on Sydney Sweeney’s latest ad. It’s been a few days since the images dropped, but the discourse is still spinning.
The "Euphoria" actress went fully nude for a provocative ad with the sports trading app, Novig, covering her breasts and parts of her body with footballs, hockey sticks and a variety of sports gear.
The ad was met with swift and intense backlash from women in sports who accused Sweeney of sexualizing female athletes and trivializing the misogyny they routinely face. In response, Sweeney posted images from ESPN’s "The Body Issue," a series that aimed to celebrate the athletes’ strength and physique, on her Instagram story. But many on the internet aren't on her side.
"Instead of fighting against both the (sexualization) and constant belittlement of women in sports Sydney Sweeney chose to make a commercial that’s setting us back," one user wrote on X. "Women’s sports aren’t for the male gaze and their pleasure."
Gymnast Gracie Kramer posted a compilation of her own stunts to Instagram Reels with the caption, "It really is that deep." The video has received over 1.1 million likes, with an overflow of support in the comments. Runner Mary McCarty said "I hate the ad" in a similar post: "It's sexy to be strong... we want the next generation of women to be proud of their achievements not what they look like," she wrote. Ariarne Titmus, a four-time gold medalist in swimming, said the ad was "a kick in the face to every woman who had dedicated her life to perfecting her craft."
Of course, others who found Sweeney's ad alluring offered their own thoughts: "This commercial is better than any sports playing right now."
Predictive betting markets like Kalshi and Polymarket have been steadily rising in popularity in recent years after first surging during the 2024 election, and often bets cross into moral gray areas (sometimes reaching full-blown casual cruelty). In May 2026, Polymarket users bought millions in shares on whether or not hantavirus would reach pandemic status. But Jess Rauchberg, PhD, lecturer of media and communication at the University of Leeds, says this Novig ad pulls at the larger "manosphere" and misogyny that permeates internet culture today. It's not just about the fantasy of winning money, but of sexuality, too. It reduces women in sports to an object that the viewer can project sexual desires onto, diminishing their contributions to the game and undermining their athleticism, grit, determination and perseverance.
"They want to not just sell the consumer a product, but the feelings that that product can give you," Rauchberg explains. For some young men, this can be the allure of "having it all": "Maybe I'm not just somebody who places sports bets, but I'm somebody who can have great sex and have the hot girl."
@kiaraxsantana We did not work this hard to build a name for ourselves and fight to be taken seriously for you to ruin that for a paycheck #justsports #womeninsports #sydneysweeney
♬ What Was I Made For? [From The Motion Picture "Barbie"] - Billie Eilish
Sweeney’s ad feels like a step back in advances for women's sports
Under Sweeney’s initial Instagram post, the comments are flooded with accusations of "undoing everything women try to build in sports," while others are quick to comment on her beauty.
There's long been a power imbalance in sports, but women have a vast history of advocating against inequality, sexism and racism in the field. But women have also seen major advancements in recent years; this Olympic season, the U.S. women’s ice hockey team took home gold, and figure skater Alysa Liu became an overnight sensation who has since used her time in the spotlight to champion female athletes.
"I feel like I suffered from the effects of misogyny and inequality of the sexes," Liu said in an August 2026 interview. "I genuinely don’t know what it is about women’s sports that makes people think we’re not athletes."
Liu gave an example of the double standard: "Men in competitions don’t need to wear makeup, don’t need to do their hair. For women, they have to. Even in practice sometimes."
@fushley words can not describe how deeply i loathe sydney sweeney #womeninsports #sydneysweeney #fyp #theman #feminism
♬ original sound - marley
Rauchberg says coming off these inspiring moments in women's sports can make Sweeney’s ad feel all the more offensive.
"Women really had a beautiful moment, not just representing Team USA, but around the world," she explained, "and then we have an advertisement like this that almost makes light of the sacrifices and the labor and the work that these women across various sports put in."
The campaign uses a woman to sell the product, but it’s not really about women or their contributions to sports.
Cancel culture, continued controversy and 'rage bait' ads
This isn't the first time Sweeney has come under fire for a provocative, or offensive, ad. Her American Eagle jeans ad put her political beliefs into question with accusations that it promoted eugenics, and this Novig ad is just the latest.
Rauchberg says this is a great example of how "rage bait content" has become part of the promotional media industry's playbook.
"Advertisers know that rage bait sells. In this case, all press is good press," she says. "Even though there are people that may not use the platform because of that, it's going to bring so many others in."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sydney Sweeney, women in sports and why many are furious
