Sydney Sweeney Novig Ad Campaign Faces Pushback

Prediction market apps are a major topic ahead of the upcoming NFL season, and one exchange that's looking to jump into the mainstream made a big splash. Novig teamed up with star actress Sydney Sweeney in a campaign titled "Just Sports," and while the launch garnered plenty of attention, not all of it has been positive. 

World-class athletes from across women's sports, from professionals to Olympic champions to commentators, sparked global backlash. The controversy quickly escalated beyond a marketing debate and into a cultural conversation about the objectification of women in athletics, celebrity stakes in betting platforms and prediction market apps, and the competition between the latter and traditional sportsbooks. 

In the video series that launched on Sept. 9 across digital and social channels - amassing over 22 million views in just the first 48 hours - Sweeney appears unclothed while using sports apparel from footballs to shoulder pads to pool tables to strategically cover herself. With an equity stake in the company, she encourages potential traders that they can trade "just sports" on Novig. 

That line is meant to differentiate Novig from competitors like Kalshi and Polymarket, which offer contracts on issues such as elections, macroeconomics, and global conflicts. 

The backlash and Sweeney's take

But rather than drawing the growing market of female fans and acquiring an entirely new user base, the ad series immediately faced criticism from top-level female athletes such as Amy Hunt, Ariarne Titmus, and Gracie Kramer. 

Titmus, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, posted on her Instagram account to express frustration, stating: "I can't describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this. Not only is it a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft, but to every woman who enjoys sports for what it really is – teamwork, friendship, dedication, excellence, unity."

Kramer, an All-American gymnast, spoke about the strength it took to speak up: "Unfortunately, being objectified pretty much my entire career, it made me feel strong enough to post about this and to stand up for the women that don't want to be objectified..."

In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Sweeney said that the ad campaign "was about embracing a fun idea" and that "the campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humor and a playful edge."

The new player in the game 

Novig hasn't been part of the prediction market scene long, but their first foray into the space has been successful, with their debut topping that of rivals. 

After launching on Aug. 4, the company reported its largest single day as $26.3 million in volume. That's a notably strong amount given where we are in the 2026 sports landscape.

Co-founder and CEO Jacob Fortinsky spoke about the opening numbers in a LinkedIn post: "August is one of the slowest months on the sports calendar. And in our first week, Novig did $125M+ in trading volume. That’s especially meaningful when you consider we’re a 21+ platform, and intentionally not capturing the entire market."