Sydney Sweeney defends Novig sports ad by citing athletes' nude magazine covers

Sydney Sweeney responded to criticism of her Novig sports campaign by highlighting athletes who have posed nude on magazine covers. The 29-year-old actress shared images of Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe, and Caroline Wozniacki on social media. Sweeney faced backlash for the campaign, with critics accusing it of sexualizing a male-dominated sporting environment. One critic called it "a slap in the face to every professional female athlete," while supporters praised it as "the greatest ad in sports and sports betting history." Sweeney previously defended the campaign as a fun concept to "cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports." She has faced similar criticism before for her Euphoria role and a 2025 American Eagle campaign.