Sydney Sweeney criticised for sports-betting advert

cultureSep 14, 202634730

Olympic athletes and other competitors have condemned a sports-betting campaign for Novig that stars actor Sydney Sweeney appearing in minimal to no clothing while pretending to play multiple sports. Four-time Olympic gold medallist Ariarne Titmus called the advert the kind of “bullshit” marketing she thought was obsolete and said it was infuriating and a kick in the face to women who dedicate their lives to sport. British sprinter and four-time European champion Amy Hunt publicly addressed Sweeney after finishing fourth in the 200m at the Ultimate Championships, pointing to Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s 21.47 winning time and saying “21.4. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears.” Athletes including Lani Pallister, Gracie Kramer, Bree Rizzo, Tilly Kearns, and Skye Nicolson have posted training and competition footage or written rebukes under the rallying line “this is what a woman in sport looks like,” arguing the ad sexualises women's sport and undermines athletic achievement. Novig said Sweeney is not only the face of the campaign but a strategic partner and equity holder, which critics say concentrates responsibility on both the company and the actor. The backlash has been compared to earlier controversies around Sweeney campaigns, with critics noting the ad's attention benefits Novig and Sweeney even as athletes use the response to highlight the real strength and skill of women’s sport.

Kylie Eleison

@gonebabygone.bsky.social

Every ad with Sydney Sweeney in it is just the Simpsons Super Bowl commercial

A sexy lady with visible cleavage and a crucifix necklace with the caption “the Catholic Church… we’ve made a few changes”

27726d ago

Holly Thomas

@holstat.bsky.social

I get why athletes are outraged by Sydney Sweeney's sports betting ad, but I fear this may be the point. The furore is a neat cover for what it's actually selling (gambling) & to whom (young men and boys, who are esp vulnerable to gambling, the deadliest addiction there is)

10926d ago

Holly Thomas18

The sports betting company in question, Novig, hired DOGE alum Elie Mishory as chief regulatory and legal affairs officer back in June. This is part of a growing trend of cross-pollination between betting organisations and the Trump administration. www.sportico.com/business/spo...

Pete Hotchkiss13

Shes clearly happy being the lamb thrown to the wolves on this stuff, just to get peoples attention. First the "good genes" jeans Now this If we want this shit to stop. Best thing is just ignore her and what she does. She does not need to be relevant. To anyone. Dont make her so

Caroline2

Yeah this can fuck all the way off

View from Argus1

"Multiple psychological and psychiatric studies indicate that gambling disorder carries an extraordinarily high risk of self-harm. According to data compiled by the APA, roughly 1 in 5 people struggling with gambling disorder will attempt suicide. (www.psychiatry.org/patients-fam...)

David Thomas1

I don't give a toss about Sydney, but I'd love to read more about "the deadliest addiction there is".

Quoting this

Elizabeth Taylor13

Is Sydney actually MAGA or is all this stuff just a grift? I lean towards the latter but I know she comes from a right wing family

Molk | The Guidefather 👍🇦🇺📺3

Hey @albomp.bsky.social - Ban sports betting advertising now. Please.

GigiMo 💙🦋🌊🫏

@gigisik.bsky.social

In the early 70's my parents filed a lawsuit against the local high school so my sister and I could play sports. Sidney Sweeney insults every woman who has fought be taken seriously in athletics.

4625d ago

Lauren1

She insults 90% of females. The other 10% are the trumplicans with bad maralargo level plastic surgery and horrible Botox.

jlphotography1977.bsky.social1

um the only reason for the ad was to get men to part with their money on a gambling site, had 0-zip-nada nothing to do with women in sports.

John Delmenico

@thebigjohnnyd.bsky.social

you can tell the Sydney Sweeney ad is delegitimising women in sport because conservative men are sharing it instead of demanding she name 5 championship winners from 1962-1967

2726d ago

ABC News Australia

@news.abc.net.au

Sydney Sweeney's sport betting ad roasted by Olympians for sexualising women's sport

2326d ago

Ken Childs

@thekenchilds.com

I'm not going to look up what Sydney Sweeney did this time, but she's managed to piss off nearly every high level winter sport woman athlete I know so I'm sure it's beyond stupid.

2126d ago

megan 🐇🌸3

i saw it in the wild before i saw the online controversy so i was totally unprepared for how pissed off i was going to be, 0/10, do not recommend

Quoting this

Ken Childs2

Was just talking about this this morning

𝔞𝔩𝔶𝔰𝔞 🦇

@silenthillwife.bsky.social

i think it’s hilarious that the people that keep saying “think of the children :(” when they see anybody that’s LGBT+ on tv are dead silent about that sydney sweeney ad.

2425d ago

Bethany Brookshire

@beebrookshire.bsky.social

This latest Sydney Sweeney ad came across my feeds because of my workout habits, all the gym girlies were up in arms. And I do get it. But also it's an AD FOR SPORTS BETTING She's nekkid on a basketball hoop for something that ruins people's lives. apnews.com/article/sydn...

2025d ago

Tam Tam 🔜 Veilcon ❤️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

@tampire.bsky.social

Really telling that the Sydney Sweeney ad did not arouse me one bit, my actual partners and other hot people arouse me more than that shell of a hackette.

1126d ago

Cycling Weekly

@cyclingweekly.com

'Imagine a world where women are seen for what they can do not just what they look like': Olympic champion Sophie Capewell speaks out against Sydney Sweeney ad www.cyclingweekly.com/news/olympic...

1525d ago

Every Film Now

@everyfilmnow.bsky.social

Sydney Sweeney has reportedly lost over 200K Instagram followers following her ad with Novig. The ad sparked backlash from viewers who objected to its sexualization of women in sports. #SydneySweeney #Novig

1125d ago

Maj

@lif3asmaj.blacksky.app

But remember...drag queens reading your kids books is a bad thing & totally not like the purity bath one takes seeing a gambling ad featuring Sydney Sweeney wearing only a football bra.

1525d ago

Justin2

I'm convinced she's not a real person she's gotta be ai lol, she has to be the most sexless person tryin to me sexy since Megan Fox.

Aaron2

I find the sports betting far more distasteful than the implied nudity

hokusai 🌊🌊🌊

@thebluenami.bsky.social

i only had to watch the first 5 seconds of the SYDNEY SWEENEY 'ad' for the sports gambling app NOVIG to know it would be SH*T so glad so many REAL female athletes are posting directly to her asking WHAT THE F*&K SHE'S ON ABOUT SETTING BACK WOMEN'S SPORTS www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...

726d ago

maddie 💚

@maddiegreenheart.bsky.social

i think sydney sweeney is a chud, but the backlash over implied nudity in an ad worries me because it just ads to a pile of growing evidence about how prudish mainstream culture is becoming. i realize criticism is from women athletes, but i worry that a sex-negative culture is also antifeminist.

1425d ago

Dimitri Drekonja, MD, MS

@dimitridrekonja.bsky.social

Pretty sure the excuse after her “good jeans” ad won’t hold up (“I was surprised, I don’t like to be divisive”🙄) She not only is featured in the ad making women’s sports all about sex appeal, but also an investor 🙄

1025d ago

3 sources

bbc.co.ukSydney Sweeney: Amy Hunt among the athletes to respond to controversial Sydney Sweeney advert theguardian.comSydney Sweeney under fire for ‘sexualising women’s sport’ in sports prediction ad upstract.comSydney Sweeney's new sports trading ad draws backlash from female athletes

Sydney Sweeney criticised for sports-betting advertculture

Sydney Sweeney criticised for sports-betting advert

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