Sydney Sweeney
Sydney Sweeney

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Alex Call has called on Major League Baseball and its broadcast partners to remove what he described as "soft porn ads" from playoff telecasts, adding a new voice to the growing backlash over a provocative advertising campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney.

Call made the comments on the social media platform X on Wednesday, during the Dodgers' National League Championship Series game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

"Can we please get the soft porn ads off playoff broadcasts, TBS, Fox, NBC, @MLB?" Call wrote. "My son wants to watch baseball with Dada, but how do I justify that when a half-naked women could come on screen anytime?? This is America's Pastime. Parents shouldn't have to worry about this."

Responding to fan complaints

Call's post was a reply to a user who had complained about watching the playoffs with children and listed several commercials he considered inappropriate for family viewing, including Sweeney's ad for the prediction market Novig.

Call did not name Sweeney or Novig directly, but his response was made to a thread that specifically referenced the actress's ad.

The comments came as the Dodgers, the two-time defending World Series champions, fell behind 3-0 in the NLCS following a 6-2 loss to Milwaukee on Wednesday night.

MLB and the networks named by Call did not immediately respond publicly to his comments.

Alex Call
Alex Call

The 'Just Sports' campaign

The Novig commercial is part of the company's "Just Sports" campaign and features Sweeney minimally clothed, using footballs, basketballs, hockey equipment and other sporting props to cover parts of her body.

The ad promotes Novig as a sports-focused prediction market, a type of platform that allows users to trade on the outcomes of events, and has continued to air during MLB playoff broadcasts.

Sweeney, known for her roles in the HBO series "Euphoria" and the film "Anyone But You," is more than just a celebrity spokesperson for the campaign. Novig has identified her as a strategic partner and equity holder in the company.

Criticism from female athletes

The campaign drew criticism even before Call's comments, particularly from female athletes who said it sexualized women in sports and shifted attention away from athletic ability and toward appearance.

Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus, a four-time Olympic gold medalist, called the ad "a kick in the face." British sprinter Amy Hunt highlighted the physical strength and hard work behind women's sports, while gymnast Gracie Kramer shared footage of herself competing alongside a message contrasting her athletic performance with the ad.

The criticism has broadened into a wider debate about how women are portrayed in sports advertising, with some arguing the campaign reinforces a focus on women's bodies that female athletes have long fought to change.

Novig defends the ad

Novig has defended the campaign, saying it was meant to highlight the platform's focus on sports rather than make a statement about women's athletics.

"As a company, we're hugely supportive of women's sports," Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky said. "We never intended to portray female sports."

Fortinsky added: "Sydney's an actress. We're a prediction market that is focused on sports, and that was the story she was communicating."

Fortinsky said Sweeney was closely involved in developing the campaign's visuals and messaging.

Sweeney has described the campaign as a "fun idea" meant to "cut through the noise" and draw attention to sports, saying it was created with "confidence, humour and a playful edge."

Despite the criticism, Sweeney released another provocative Novig ad in October, again appearing minimally clothed, keeping the controversy in the spotlight.

A new front in the debate

Call's comments add a baseball-specific and family-focused dimension to the backlash, shifting part of the debate toward the kinds of advertising viewers, including children, encounter during major sporting events.

Postseason baseball draws large national audiences, including many families, and broadcasters sell premium advertising slots during the games. Networks generally set their own standards for commercials, and sports leagues often have guidelines for advertising partners.

The rise of sports betting and prediction markets has also brought a surge of related advertising to sports broadcasts in recent years, drawing concern from some parents, lawmakers and advocacy groups about exposure to gambling messages.

Who is Alex Call?

Call, 32, is an outfielder who joined the Dodgers in a trade with the Washington Nationals in 2025. He has played for several teams during his major league career and has been a reserve player for Los Angeles.

His post drew a wide range of reactions online, with some fans praising him for speaking up on behalf of families and others arguing that parents can change the channel or that the ads are within acceptable broadcast standards.

What's next

The Dodgers face elimination in Game 4 of the NLCS on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.

It remains unclear whether MLB or its broadcast partners will respond to Call's request or make any changes to the advertising shown during the remainder of the postseason, which includes the World Series later this month.