Dodgers Player Criticizes Sydney Sweeney's Gambling Ads During Playoff Game
Alex Call expresses frustration over 'soft porn ads' aired during a game watched with his son.
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Alex Call has publicly called for the removal of Sydney Sweeney's controversial gambling advertisements from playoff broadcasts. Call voiced his complaints on social media platform X, stating that the ads, which he described as "soft porn ads," were inappropriate for family viewing while he was attempting to watch the Dodgers' game against the Milwaukee Brewers with his young son.
"Can we please get the soft porn ads off playoff broadcasts, TBS, Fox, NBC, @MLB?" Call posted Wednesday night. "My son wants to watch baseball with Dada, but how do I justify that when a half naked women [sic] could come on screen anytime?? This is America's Pastime. Parents shouldn't have to worry about this."
Sweeney's partnership with the prediction market Novig has drawn criticism since its initial campaign launch on September 9. The ads feature the actress with minimal clothing, strategically using sports equipment to cover her body. The campaign gained significant traction online, attracting commentary from both general users and female athletes.
Several female athletes have publicly voiced their objections to the ads. Four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Ariarne Titmus questioned the continued monetization and sexualization of women's bodies in sports. British sprinter Amy Hunt, in a post-race interview, directly addressed Sweeney, emphasizing the strength and dedication of women in sports.
Former U.S. gymnast Gracie Kramer also shared her frustrations on Instagram, stating that she has spent her career fighting against the oversexualization and objectification of female athletes. Kramer's posts highlighted images of women athletes training, captioned with "What a woman in sports looks like."
In what appeared to be a response to the backlash, Sweeney shared covers from ESPN The Magazine's