Conservative podcaster Link Lauren has jumped into the heated debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney‘s latest advertisement for sports prediction platform Novig, taking aim at critics who say the ad sets women back. In a video posted to X on September 13, Lauren argued that many of those complaining about the ad cannot even answer a basic question about womanhood.
“Let’s talk about that Sydney Sweeney ad. It’s sparked quite the debate. But I can’t help noticing that some of the people accusing Sydney Sweeney of ‘setting women back’ can’t even define what a woman is,” Lauren said in the video.
The Euphoria star’s Novig campaign, which launched on September 9, features Sweeney appearing mostly unclothed while using sports equipment like footballs, basketballs, and tennis racquets to cover herself. The ad has drawn sharp criticism from female athletes and sports figures who feel it sexualizes women’s sports.
What Link Lauren Said About the Backlash
Lauren made it clear he was not dismissing every concern about the ad. He described the Novig commercial as explicit and said he understood why some parents would not want their children exposed to it. He also mentioned worries about body image among young girls who might compare themselves to Sweeney.
Still, his main criticism was aimed at people calling the ad harmful to women’s sports. Lauren accused certain critics of hypocrisy, saying they had stayed quiet on other gender-related issues in women’s sports but were now attacking Sweeney.
“I welcome and accept all different viewpoints on my page, as you guys know by now, but I’m just not going to accept these liberals who want to attack Sydney Sweeney and say that she is hurting women and hurting women’s rights,” Lauren said.
The podcaster also pointed out that Sweeney holds equity in Novig and suggested critics should instead be “praising her as a girl boss.” He referenced Kim Kardashian‘s rise to fame and said he wished for “a little bit of class back” in culture, but he welcomed different opinions while wanting to call out what he saw as double standards.
Sydney Sweeney’s Role in the Novig Campaign
Sweeney is not just the face of the Novig ad. She is a strategic partner and equity holder in the company. Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky said Sweeney approached the company about an equity partnership and served as the creative lead for the campaign. In a statement released alongside the ad, Sweeney said the campaign was about “embracing a fun idea.”
“The concept is simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports,” she said.
The ad shows Sweeney in several provocative poses, including sitting naked atop a basketball hoop and lying down with a soccer ball balanced on her feet. At one point, she says, “Just you, your takes and sports.” The commercial has racked up nearly 39 million views on Instagram since it dropped.
Female Athletes Push Back Hard
The backlash from the sports world has been intense. Ariarne Titmus, a four-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, called the ad “a kick in the face to every woman who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft.”
American gymnast Gracie Kramer posted a highlight reel of her competing with the caption, “IDK what Sydney Sweeney was doing, but this is what a woman in sports looks like.” The video has been viewed over 15 million times. Kramer also wrote on Instagram that the ad was marketing women’s sports “through the male gaze” and called it “a massive step backward.”
British sprinter Amy Hunt, a four-time European champion, addressed the ad in a post-race BBC interview, saying, “Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like. Muscles. Hard work, blood, sweat, tears.”
Australian surfer Felicity Palmateer told CNN she felt “just absolute utter disbelief, incredibly disappointing, like, how far you can put women’s sports backward in the space of a 42-second commercial.” She added that the ad is “very damaging, especially for young females getting into sport.”
Beatriz Hatz, a track-and-field Paralympian who appeared on Love Island USA, wrote on Instagram that she was “actually disgusted and disappointed” in the ad. “Women in sports do not need to be sexualized. We deserve to compete at the peak of our ability and be seen as athletes,” she wrote.
Sweeney Appears to Respond Without Direct Comment
Sweeney has not directly addressed the controversy with a public statement. However, she seemed to respond through her Instagram Stories by sharing photos of well-known athletes who had posed for similar photoshoots. Her posts included tennis legend Serena Williams, former UFC champion Ronda Rousey, basketball star Sue Bird, and football players Jason Kelce and Myles Garrett, among others. By sharing these images, Sweeney appeared to point out that athletes have also taken part in photoshoots with minimal clothing.
The controversy has had a measurable impact. According to Variety, Sweeney has reportedly lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers since the commercial dropped.
A Pattern of Controversy for Sweeney
This is not the first time Sweeney has faced backlash over a brand partnership. In 2025, her campaign for American Eagle jeans played on the words “jeans” and “genes,” which critics said promoted eugenics by featuring a conventionally attractive white woman with blonde hair and blue eyes as the face of “good genes.” That campaign also drew comments from US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who expressed support for Sweeney.
Despite the backlash, American Eagle later said the campaign led to its strongest sales period, including double-digit growth in denim categories. Sweeney also recently appeared in Season 3 of Euphoria and starred in the sports drama Christy and the thriller The Housemaid.
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Link Lauren’s Growing Media Presence
Lauren, born in 1999, is a conservative TikTok creator, podcaster, and former senior aide for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. during his 2024 presidential campaign. He hosts the podcast Spot On with Link Lauren on Megyn Kelly’s MK Media network. He has become a regular voice on Fox News and Newsmax, often commenting on pop culture and political topics. His entry into the Sweeney debate adds a political dimension to a controversy that has largely played out in the sports and entertainment worlds.
The Novig ad continues to generate conversation across social media, with supporters and critics of Sweeney trading opinions daily. The campaign’s strategy of using shock value to build awareness for a relatively unknown brand appears to have worked as intended, even as it has sparked a broader debate about how women in sports are represented in advertising.
Also Read: Sydney Sweeney Defends Racy Novig Sports Ad After Backlash From Female Athletes
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