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Novig’s provocative advertising campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney is facing a new wave of criticism, this time from women athletes who say the campaign sends the wrong message about women in sports. The prediction-market company’s ad, which features Sweeney in various states of undress alongside sports equipment, has quickly become one of the most talked-about sports marketing campaigns of the month.

The campaign centers on the tagline, “This is what a woman in sports looks like,” a message that critics argue is fundamentally at odds with what female athletes have spent years trying to establish. Rather than highlighting athletic ability, discipline or achievement, they say the campaign places Sweeney’s appearance at the center of a conversation about women in sports.

Runner Paola Handley described the campaign as “frustratingly tone deaf,” joining a growing number of athletes who have publicly criticized the creative direction. Their objections have helped shift the controversy beyond entertainment and advertising circles and into a broader discussion about the representation of women in athletics.

Australian Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus was even more direct in her criticism, describing the campaign as a “kick in the face” to women who have dedicated their lives to perfecting their craft. Other prominent athletes, including British sprinter Amy Hunt and Olympic cyclist Sophie Capewell, have also criticized the campaign.

The criticism centers on a familiar issue in women’s sports: athletes have long argued that their accomplishments can be overshadowed by attention to their appearance. Critics believe the Novig campaign reinforces that dynamic by using a celebrity rather than an accomplished female athlete to represent the concept of a woman in sports.

The campaign has nevertheless accomplished one thing extremely effectively: getting people talking about Novig. The advertisement reportedly generated more than 22 million views during its first two days, giving the relatively young prediction-market company enormous exposure.

That level of attention has led some observers to question whether the backlash is actually part of the campaign's strategy. A provocative advertisement that generates criticism, arguments and social-media posts can dramatically expand its reach without requiring the advertiser to purchase equivalent traditional media exposure.

Novig has defended the campaign, with CEO Jacob Fortinsky supporting the creative approach and emphasizing its appeal to the company’s target audience. The company has also pointed to age restrictions surrounding its platform as part of its response to concerns about the campaign’s presentation.

Sweeney has also pushed back against the criticism. In response to the controversy, she pointed to examples of prominent female athletes who have posed nude or in highly revealing photography, including figures such as Serena Williams and Megan Rapinoe. Supporters of Sweeney argue that women should be able to decide how they present their bodies without being told that doing so undermines their accomplishments.

That defense, however, has not ended the debate. Critics say there is an important distinction between an athlete choosing how to portray herself and an advertising campaign using a celebrity’s sexualized image to market a sports-related financial product. For many athletes, the issue is less about nudity itself and more about who gets to represent women in sports and what that representation communicates.

The controversy also highlights the increasingly aggressive marketing environment surrounding prediction markets and sports betting. As companies compete for younger audiences and greater visibility, provocative campaigns can become powerful tools for generating attention. Novig’s campaign demonstrates both the upside and the risk: millions of people now know the brand, but many of them are debating what the advertisement says about women in sports.

Whether the backlash ultimately hurts Novig may be difficult to measure. From a traditional advertising perspective, the campaign has generated enormous awareness, but the negative response from female athletes could create a longer-term reputational challenge. For now, the debate surrounding Sweeney’s Novig campaign has become much bigger than a single advertisement—raising questions about sexualization, empowerment, athletic achievement and the future of women’s sports marketing.