Sophie Cunningham shared her thoughts on Sydney Sweeney’s Novig campaign after receiving numerous messages asking for her reaction to the gambling advertisement.
Speaking on the “No Hesitation” podcast, the Indiana Fever guard questioned whether Sweeney was an authentic choice for a sports prediction market, although she acknowledged why the company might use her to appeal to its audience.
“I have so many takes. But first of all, does she even gamble on sports? It’s so unauthentic,” Cunningham began. “Am I surprised how she represented the brand? That’s what she made her whole career off. Don’t get me wrong, I like her.
“She sticks to her guns, and she does her thing and she’s her. Props to her. Do I like it? Like that particular ad? Not really. I think it’s like, what are we doing? But again, I’m not surprised. That’s what she’s known for. She’s making her money. Go do your thing, sis.
“But why are girls mad? That is literally what she does. Why is anyone mad? It is a gambling ad: men, sports, pretty much naked women. Of course, that’s going to draw attention. Again, do I agree with it? Morally, I think it’s kind of weird, but each to their own. Go do your thing, sis.”
While several female athletes have criticized the campaign for sexualizing women, Cunningham said she did not interpret it as an attack on women’s sports.
“At the end of the day, I’m really loving seeing all these girls who are powerful, strong, showing young girls what it looks like to be an athlete,” she said. “I don’t think the ad was coming for women in sport.
“… I just want girls to know, don’t shrink. Don’t shrink to make other people feel better about themselves when you’re born to stick out. I will say though, I can understand when you first see that ad that like it could kind of deflate women, because it’s like we’ve worked so hard to get a little bit of respect around here. But then when you really think about it, it’s like, screw it, let that girl do her thing. This has nothing to do with us.”
Cunningham also noted that she briefly crossed paths with Sweeney at a NASCAR event last year.
“I spent like five minutes with her. I met her, but do I know her? No,” she said.
Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky has also defended the campaign’s intent, saying it was not designed as commentary on women’s sports.
“Sydney’s an actress,” Fortinsky said. “We’re a prediction market that is focused on sports, and that was the story she was communicating.”
Sweeney also holds an equity stake in Novig.
