What the Backlash to Sydney Sweeney's Betting Ad Says About Women's Sport
Summary: This article explains what the Novig ad starring Sydney Sweeney shows, why sprinter Amy Hunt and other athletes called it a barrier for girls in sport, and what the dispute reveals about the way women's sport is represented in betting marketing.
The advertisement at the center of the dispute is short on athleticism and heavy on spectacle. Sydney Sweeney, the American actress, appears with little to no clothing in a spot for Novig, a U.S. sports betting platform. She uses pieces of sporting equipment to cover parts of her body and, in one scene, sits on top of a basketball hoop. The ad has drawn criticism from athletes who say it sexualizes women's sport and makes light of the effort female athletes put into their careers.
A Basketball Hoop, a Betting Platform, and a Backlash
Global News reported that the backlash came from athletes and fans who called out the campaign for leaning on nudity rather than performance. The objection is not that celebrities appear in betting advertising. It is what this particular imagery does when attached to women's sport. Sporting equipment is used as a prop for a posed celebrity instead of as a tool for competition. For female athletes who have to fight for credibility, an ad like this cuts against their message.
When Role Models Talk Back
Amy Hunt, a 24-year-old British sprinter, was among the athletes who spoke out. BBC Sport carried her comments. Hunt said that when the goal is to offer role models to young women, sport should be about "what your body can do, not so much what it looks like." She noted that 64% of girls stop exercising or playing sport before they turn 16. In her view, the Novig ad adds another barrier to keeping girls involved.
Hunt and other athletes argued the commercial sends the wrong message about what women in sport represent. It is a barrier, Hunt said, at a time when the priority should be showing girls that sport belongs to them. The criticism goes beyond one ad. If the most visible image attached to women's sport in a betting campaign is a naked actress on a basketball hoop, the emphasis is on appearance rather than achievement. That is exactly what many female athletes have spent years trying to change.
The Barrier Is Bigger Than One Ad
The BBC reported that several female athletes criticized the advert's messaging, not just Hunt. Their concern is straightforward: girls watching these campaigns absorb a lesson about what matters about women in sport. And that lesson, the athletes say, is the wrong one. Whether the company changes course is unclear. But the dispute has made one thing obvious: the representation of women in sports advertising is now part of the game, and athletes are paying attention.