Both The New York Times' The Athletic and NBC News are reporting on the supposed backlash from an advertisement for an online gambling site featuring Sydney Sweeney. The Athletic claims that Sweeney is getting flak from female athletes for "sexualizing women in sports."
From @TheAthletic: A controversial sports gambling advert featuring Sydney Sweeney has sparked a backlash among female athletes for sexualizing women in sports. The campaign shows an otherwise naked Sweeney covering herself with balls and hockey pads. https://t.co/MV2bIV9AjF
— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 14, 2026
A new advertisement featuring a mostly nude Sydney Sweeney posing with various pieces of sporting equipment sparks outrage with female athletes, who say it markets sports through the sexualization of women and the “male gaze.” https://t.co/nQXKEcq7BB
— NBC News (@NBCNews) September 14, 2026
Normally, we wouldn't run an advertisement in a news post, but in this case, showing is easier than telling.
Who better to tell you that Novig is Just Sports than Sydney Sweeney wearing just sports?
— Novig (@Novig) September 8, 2026
Amelie Claydon reports for The Athletic:
In a post on her Instagram, four-time Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus described the Novig advert as a “kick in the face” to women who had dedicated their lives to their sport and questioned why women’s bodies and women’s sport were still being sexualised.
The criticism has developed into a wider social-media response with former UCLA gymnast Gracie Kramer posting competition footage in a now expired Instagram story under the message “this is what a woman in sport looks like”, while Olympic swimmer Lani Pallister and sprinter Bree Rizzo shared footage on the social media platform from their own careers.
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Just as Sweeney passed on GQ features director Katherine Stoeffel's gracious "opportunity" to address her controversial "great jeans" ad for American Eagle Outfitters, she passed on the opportunity to apologize here:
Sydney Sweeney has faced backlash from female athletes over her nearly nude ad for a sports prediction market
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) September 14, 2026
She responded by sharing images of athletes who have posed nude pic.twitter.com/jQprd4SIhm
Wait until you hear about the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition.
— TheMan (@DawgMan78) September 14, 2026
There is no backlash, there is a small group of malcontents who hates when the normies are happy
— Combat Sleeping (@CombatSleeping) September 14, 2026
There is no “backlash” beyond what you all have manufactured.
— IT Guy (@ITGuy1959) September 14, 2026
Ads featuring nude or scantily clad athletes or celebrities have been around forever.
My generation even witnessed Joe Namath pantyhose ads ffs.
And nobody cared then. Just like nobody cares now.
Syndey Sweeney is being attacked for the same style ad as @espn's years-long run of The Body Issue. Site's still live: series ended when they stopped printing the magazine. pic.twitter.com/cACVNF9cU0
— Joshua Hartley (@JHartley2) September 14, 2026
Is Sydney Sweeney a woman in sport? Has ESPN done a "Body Issue' for over a decade featuring actual women in sports nude? Have the NYT and the Athletic been reduced to meaningless clickbait instead of being respectable media?
— Adin Bathory (@AdinBathory) September 14, 2026
Aight lefties that’s enough hypocrisy for you today. Go to your room!! pic.twitter.com/NSg67xlI2E
— OG S Geoff (@ThatOneElectron) September 14, 2026
Breaking: App that appeals to men uses hot woman to appeal to said men
— themoderateman (@themoderateman9) September 14, 2026
Stop sexualizing women in sports, it ruins our accomplishments.
— Name is not important (@NImportant77846) September 14, 2026
Let the “woman” with a dick play, our accomplishments aren’t as important as virtue signaling our own self-perceived moral superiority.
Scooby-Doo is less confused than you fucking people.
Not an athlete, not claiming to be an athlete, what the hell is the story here even supposed to be?
— Jon Lustig (@jonlustig) September 14, 2026
And The Athletic’s descent toward irrelevance continues apace.
— Taro Tsujimoto (@LegendofTaro183) September 14, 2026
Sydney Sweeney isn't an athlete and sports gambling isn't the same as sports.
— Gen Z Outcast (@Phuxlea) September 14, 2026
It's really that simple.
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