Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham has weighed in on the controversy surrounding actress Sydney Sweeney’s viral advertisement for sports prediction platform Novig, questioning how authentic Sweeney’s connection to sports betting is while also defending the actress against personal criticism.
The advertisement, which was released in September 2026, quickly attracted widespread attention because of its provocative presentation. Sweeney appears with sports equipment while promoting Novig, a platform focused on sports prediction markets. The campaign subsequently drew criticism from several female athletes, who argued that its portrayal of women in relation to sports was problematic.
Cunningham discussed the controversy on her No Hesitation podcast with Drew Hanlen, offering a response that included criticism of the advertisement itself but support for Sweeney’s right to make her own professional choices.
Sophie Cunningham Questions Sweeney’s Sports Connection
Cunningham’s main question concerned whether Sweeney actually has a meaningful connection to sports betting.
While discussing the advertisement, the WNBA player questioned whether the actress even bets on sports and described the campaign as feeling inauthentic from a sports perspective.
That does not mean Cunningham directed her criticism entirely at Sweeney.
The Indiana Fever guard also said that she likes the actress and respects her willingness to make her own choices. Cunningham distinguished between disliking a particular advertisement and attacking the person appearing in it.
She also acknowledged that Sweeney’s public image and the campaign’s provocative approach were likely part of the reason the advertisement attracted so much attention.
What Was in Sydney Sweeney’s Viral Ad?
The Novig campaign focuses on sports prediction and uses Sweeney in a highly stylized sports-themed setting.
The actress appears alongside equipment associated with several sports, including basketball, football, tennis and other activities. The commercial uses Sweeney’s appearance and humor to promote the idea of focusing on sports themselves.
The campaign quickly spread across social media, where viewers had sharply different reactions.
Some audiences treated it as an intentionally provocative advertising campaign, while critics argued that it shifted attention away from women’s athletic achievements and toward Sweeney’s appearance.
Female Athletes Criticize the Campaign
Sweeney’s advertisement has generated criticism from several athletes.
Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus, British sprinter Amy Hunt, Olympic cyclist Sophie Capewell and other athletes have publicly questioned the way women and sports are represented in the campaign.
Critics have argued that women’s sports have spent years trying to increase recognition based on athletic performance, skill and achievements. From that perspective, they see the Novig advertisement as reinforcing a different type of representation.
Other athletes have emphasized that women competing professionally often work extensively on their strength, fitness and skills, and that sports advertising can play a role in determining what younger audiences associate with female athletes.
Cunningham Takes a Different Approach
Cunningham’s reaction was more nuanced.
She acknowledged that the advertisement was not something she personally liked and questioned its authenticity. At the same time, she pushed back against the idea of directing intense criticism toward Sweeney as an individual.
According to reports of her podcast comments, Cunningham argued that Sweeney was participating in a commercial and making use of her own public image.
She also questioned why women were particularly angry with Sweeney, noting that sports marketing aimed at male audiences has historically used attractive women to attract attention.
Her comments therefore separated two issues: whether the advertisement was effective or appropriate, and whether Sweeney herself should be personally attacked over it.
Why the Ad Became So Controversial
The controversy surrounding the campaign comes from the intersection of three major topics: sports marketing, women’s representation and celebrity advertising.
Sports has traditionally been marketed using athletes, competition and team identities. At the same time, entertainment companies and advertisers have frequently used celebrities to attract attention.
Sweeney’s involvement brings those approaches together.
She is an internationally recognised actress rather than a professional athlete, while Novig is a sports-focused prediction platform. That combination has led some viewers to question whether the campaign provides an authentic connection between the celebrity and the product.
Cunningham’s comments directly address that question.
The Difference Between Sports and Sports Advertising
One important part of the debate is the distinction between participating in sports and advertising around sports.
A person does not necessarily have to be a professional athlete to appear in a sports commercial. Celebrities, musicians, actors and influencers have long participated in campaigns connected to sporting events.
However, critics of the Novig campaign argue that the specific presentation matters.
Their concern is not simply that Sweeney is not an athlete. Instead, they have questioned whether the advertisement’s emphasis on her appearance overshadows the athletic qualities that women’s sports have increasingly tried to highlight.
Sweeney Has Responded to the Backlash
Sweeney has also appeared to address some of the criticism surrounding the campaign.
Following the controversy, she shared images connected to ESPN’s Body Issue, which has historically featured athletes photographed in artistic presentations that highlight the human body. The posts were interpreted by some observers as part of her response to criticism of the Novig campaign.
However, interpretations of the response vary, and the actress has not provided a lengthy public explanation resolving every criticism surrounding the campaign.
Novig Defends Its Advertising Approach
Novig has also defended the campaign.
The company has presented the advertisement as a creative and playful way of focusing attention on sports and its prediction product. Reports indicate that Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky defended the campaign’s concept and emphasized its sports-focused message.
This reflects a common challenge in modern advertising: campaigns designed to generate attention can sometimes produce reactions that extend far beyond the product itself.
In Sweeney’s case, the advertisement became a broader discussion about women, sports and celebrity culture.
Sophie Cunningham’s Own Position on the Ad
Cunningham did not describe the advertisement as something she personally enjoyed.
Instead, she questioned its authenticity and acknowledged that she found aspects of the campaign unusual. At the same time, she argued that Sweeney should not necessarily become the sole target of criticism.
Her position was essentially that audiences can dislike the commercial without turning that disagreement into a personal judgment about the actress.
Cunningham also highlighted the importance of supporting women who compete in professional sports and giving young girls examples of women succeeding through athletic ability and dedication.
A Wider Debate About Women in Sports
The controversy has become part of a much larger discussion about how women are presented in sports media.
For years, female athletes have raised concerns about receiving less attention for their sporting achievements compared with their appearance or personal lives.
At the same time, athletes and celebrities have the right to participate in commercial campaigns according to their own professional choices.
The disagreement over Sweeney’s advertisement illustrates the tension between these two perspectives.
Some critics see the campaign as an example of outdated sports marketing, while others see it as a conventional celebrity advertising strategy designed to attract attention.
Cunningham’s comments occupy a position between those arguments: she questioned the campaign’s sports authenticity while defending Sweeney from personal attacks.
Why Sophie Cunningham’s Comments Matter
Cunningham’s perspective has received attention partly because she is herself a professional female athlete.
As a WNBA player, she is directly connected to the world of women’s sports that has been at the centre of the debate.
Her comments therefore add another perspective to a discussion that has largely involved athletes criticizing the advertisement.
Rather than simply condemning or supporting the campaign, Cunningham questioned its authenticity while also encouraging people not to direct their frustration toward Sweeney personally.
The Advertisement Continues to Generate Discussion
The Novig campaign demonstrates how quickly a celebrity advertisement can become a major social media conversation.
The commercial was designed to attract attention, and its provocative style succeeded in generating widespread discussion. But the resulting conversation has gone beyond the betting platform itself.
It has raised questions about celebrity endorsements, sports marketing, women’s representation and the role of appearance in advertising.
Those questions are likely to continue as audiences debate where the line should be drawn between creative advertising and authentic sports representation.
Final Thoughts
Sophie Cunningham’s reaction to Sydney Sweeney’s viral Novig advertisement has added another perspective to an already wide-ranging debate.
Cunningham questioned whether Sweeney’s involvement with sports betting felt authentic, but she also defended the actress against personal criticism and emphasized that people should be able to make their own professional choices.
Meanwhile, several female athletes have criticized the campaign because of concerns about how women and sports are represented.
The controversy ultimately reflects different views about celebrity advertising and women’s representation in sports. As the discussion continues, Cunningham’s comments provide another perspective from within professional women’s basketball on a campaign that has quickly become one of the most discussed sports advertisements of September 2026.