Sydney Sweeney Fires Back at Trolls After Sports Ad Backlash, Shares Nude Athlete ESPN Covers in Defense

Sydney Sweeney is firing back at her critics after she stripped down for a sports ad.

She shared a series of n--- athlete ESPN covers on social media, seemingly defending herself after backlash over her provocative photos for the sports trading and prediction app, Novig.

In the new carousel shared to her Instagram Stories, the Euphoria actress smiled while covering her upper body with two footballs.

Sweeney then showed off other ESPN magazine covers, which featured n----- athletes, including Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, Sue Bird, Megan Rapinoe and Caroline Wozniacki.

Tagging the newly launched sports platform, she wrote, "It's gamedayyyy."

Sweeney is currently facing backlash for her "sexualized" promotion for Novig, more than a year after her American Eagle ad controversy.

On Wednesday, September 9, she expanded her involvement with the platform by starring in its ad campaign and signing on as both a strategic partner and equity holder.

While Novig is dubbed “the only prediction market to maintain a 21+ age requirement,” some users argued that the Anyone but You actress' ad for the age-restricted platform might as well have been R-rated.

One TikTok user wrote, “I couldn’t believe when that ad came on the TV. I had my 2 children in the living room; I had to yell at them to look away from the TV. I don’t understand WHY they would need to create such a [vulgar] ad.”

Meanwhile, other critics shared their views on Sweeney's Instagram.

One person wrote, "Love how @instagram allows for stuff like this, but the moment I post something in a bikini, the post is removed."

Others deemed the ad “disgusting,” “pathetic,” “sad” and “inappropriate.”

A major source of the backlash centered on how women are represented in the sports world.

As Marissa Womack, manager of game day promotions and programming for the minor league baseball team, the Harrisburg Senators, explained in her TikTok post, “This [criticism] isn’t about me being jealous or insecure of [Sweeney].”

“It’s about the fact that this is already a male-dominated field where we are constantly having to prove why we belong. It’s about having passions and joy working in this industry, and when the only representation is sexualization, you see less and less young women wanting to pursue this industry!” she continued.

In Sweeney's words, the campaign is “about embracing a fun idea.”

She stated, “The concept is simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports. The campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humor and a playful edge,” per The Hollywood Reporter.