Sydney Sweeney Faces Massive Instagram Follower Loss Over Controversial Sports Betting Ad
Sydney Sweeney loses 200K followers after nude ad for sports betting app sparks backlash.
POLICY WIRE — New York, United States — Sydney Sweeney, the 29-year-old Euphoria star, has experienced a significant drop in Instagram followers following her appearance in a controversial ad for a sports betting platform.
The commercial, which features Sweeney posing nude with strategic coverage using sports equipment, drew sharp criticism for what some saw as the sexualization of female athletes and a lack of respect for women.
Social media analytics firm Social Blade reported that Sweeney lost 136,848 followers on Sunday and another 66,446 on Monday. Despite the losses, which totaled less than one percent of her 25 million followers, she later regained over 116,000 followers.
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Sweeney responded to the controversy by sharing images of female athletes who had previously posed nude for magazine covers, including Serena Williams, Ronda Rousey, and Megan Rapinoe. She also highlighted male athletes who had done the same, such as Myles Garrett and Rob Gronkowski.
In a statement, Sweeney described the campaign as an effort to “cut through the noise” and focus on sports with confidence, humor, and a playful edge. She joined the sports prediction market platform as a strategic partner and equity holder.
Several athletes voiced their disapproval of the ad. Four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Ariarne Titmus criticized the commercial on Instagram, saying it was infuriating that women’s bodies are still being monetized in sports. British sprinter Amy Hunter, after finishing fourth in the 200 meters at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest, sent a message to Sweeney stating, This is what women in sport look like: muscles, hard work, sweat, blood, tears.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
