Sydney Sweeney Faces Backlash Over Nude Novig Sports Betting Campaign
Sydney Sweeney's recent nude advertisement for the sports betting platform Novig has drawn criticism from athletes and sports organizations for objectifying women's bodies in athletics. In the promotional material, she utilizes sports gear to cover herself while adopting a flirtatious demeanor. This incident echoes a similar uproar from spring 2025 regarding her American Eagle jeans campaign, which resulted in a 12% increase in the company's stock value. Commentator Katie Gatti Tassin remarked that brands seek out Sweeney for her provocative appeal. The 29-year-old, recognized for her performance in Euphoria, encountered backlash for explicit content in the show's final season in 2026. She shared ESPN covers featuring nude athletes on Instagram, describing the campaign as playful. In early 2026, she introduced her lingerie line, Syrn, which also faced feminist critiques.
Key facts
- Sydney Sweeney's Novig sports betting campaign shows her nude, covering herself with sports equipment
- Athletes, associations and sports federations criticized the campaign for sexualizing women's bodies in sport
- A spring 2025 American Eagle jeans controversy preceded it, after which the company's shares rose 12 percent
- Katie Gatti Tassin told the New York Times that brands hire Sweeney for shoots designed to provoke controversy
- Sweeney posted ESPN covers featuring nude athletes after the Novig criticism
- She is a shareholder in Novig and described the campaign as a simple, playful idea
- Syrn, her lingerie company launched in early 2026, drew criticism over a Hollywood sign spot and a 'tradwife'-style campaign
- Sweeney founded a production company in 2020 and launched Honey Trap with Kaylee McGregor, which has a first-look deal with Sony Pictures
Entities
Artists
- Sydney Sweeney
- Katie Gatti Tassin
- Jimmy Fallon
- Kaylee McGregor
- Glen Powell
- Donald Trump
Institutions
- Novig
- American Eagle
- Euphoria
- New York Times
- Diabolical Lies
- ESPN
- Syrn
- Dr. Squatch
- Marvel
- Sony Pictures
- Honey Trap
- Tonight Show
- OnlyFans
- Variety
- La Femme de ménage
Locations
- United States
- Los Angeles
- Hollywood
- London