Sophie Cunningham broke ranks with her opinion on the Sydney Sweeney ad controversy while critics piled on. The Indiana Fever guard finally addressed the conversation during the September 18 episode of her No Hesitation podcast. So as Cunningham once again finds herself at the center of a debate, a former politician turned Fox News reporter has offered his support for Cunningham’s stance during a recent Fox News broadcast while targeting her critics.
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“Look, I agree with all of those points, and I love Sophie Cunningham. My life will be complete if I never see a WNBA game. I’m not a big fan and don’t want to watch, but I find myself rooting for her because she just talks common sense,” Jason Chaffetz said, per an X post by @acyn.
“If you don’t like it, turn it off. But don’t pretend that this is the first ever that they’re breaking new ground. They don’t like her because she doesn’t acquiesce to them. She doesn’t just bow down to them. She’s her own person, and she’s highly successful, and they can’t stand it. So, more power to her,” he added.
Sweeney’s ad drew widespread criticism, with many arguing that it sexualized women in sports rather than promoting them. The ad campaign for sports prediction market platform Novig featured Sweeney using a variety of sports equipment to clothe herself.
While Sophie Cunningham wasn’t a fan of the ad, the 30-year-old still respected the actress for being willing to be herself.
“But why are girls mad? That is literally what she does. Why is anyone mad? It is a gambling ad,” she said. “Of course that’s going to draw attention. Again, do I agree with it? Morally, I think it’s kind of weird, but like, to each their own. Go do your thing, sis… I don’t think the ad was coming for women in sport.”
Well, not everyone agreed with Cunningham’s stance. Several athletes, including Lucy Davis, called Sweeney out over the campaign.
“I don’t know w** Sydney Sweeney was doing, but it’s 2026. Stop sexualizing women in sport,” the British athlete wrote in an Instagram post.
Even four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Ariarne Titmus took to Instagram to express her frustration.
“I can’t describe how infuriated I feel when I watch this. How do we live in a world where monetizing a woman’s body and sexualizing women’s sport is still a thing?”
The most powerful statement came from British sprinter Amy Hunt. She spoke out about the ad after completing the 200m at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
“Sydney Sweeney, this is what women in sport look like…When you’re a woman in sport, it’s not pretty.”
Cunningham and Sweeney do not have any personal relationship beyond briefly meeting and posing for a photo together at the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway. So, the latest backlash over her comments on Sweeney’s ad is simply another chapter in what has been a year full of controversies for the Fever guard.
Sophie Cunningham is still dealing with the debate surrounding transgender athletes in women’s sports, an issue that has followed her throughout the 2026 WNBA season. In her comments on the polarizing topic, the 30-year-old called for protecting young girls in locker rooms. But the situation escalated quickly, with rallies being held outside Fever games and Cunningham facing crowds that booed her during games on several occasions.
So with the regular season back in action after the FIBA World Cup break, as one controversy was beginning to settle down, another has pulled Cunningham right back into the spotlight. While Sophie Cunningham is yet to address it, her focus is expected to be on basketball with the playoffs right around the corner.
The Fever have their sights set on a deep playoff run and a chance to compete for the championship. So there will be plenty of attention on how she and Indiana handle the pressure on the court. Sophie Cunningham and the Fever have three games left in the regular season, which they will use to achieve better seeding going into the playoffs.