Alex Call’s criticism of playoff advertising has renewed debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s Novig campaign.
By Star Struck Times October 15, 2026
LOS ANGELES, California — 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 coverage, adding fresh criticism to the debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s provocative sports-prediction-market campaign.
In a post on X on October 14, Call said he was concerned about watching baseball with his young son while advertisements featuring scantily clad women could appear during games. He tagged MLB and the broadcasters TBS, Fox and NBC, asking them to reconsider the commercials shown during playoff broadcasts. His comments were reported by USA Today and Yahoo Sports.
Call did not name Sweeney in the quoted post. However, several reports connected his criticism to the actress’s campaign for Novig, which has drawn criticism from athletes and renewed discussion about sexualized advertising in sports.
Key Points
Dodgers outfielder Alex Call criticized “soft porn” advertisements during MLB playoff broadcasts.
Call said he wanted to watch baseball with his son without worrying about potentially revealing commercials.
News outlets linked the discussion to Sydney Sweeney’s Novig campaign, although Call did not explicitly identify her in his post.
The campaign has prompted a broader debate over the portrayal of women in sports advertising.
Megan Fox has also appeared in celebrity advertising coverage cited alongside the debate, but the specific commercial Call meant was not confirmed in his post.
Why Alex Call Is Criticizing MLB Playoff Ads
Call’s complaint focused on the type of advertising audiences may encounter while watching baseball with children. His message called on MLB and its broadcast partners to remove the commercials he considered inappropriate for family viewing.
“Parents shouldn’t have to worry about this,” Call wrote, according to the post reproduced by USA Today and other outlets.
His comments arrived during the MLB postseason, when playoff games attract viewers beyond regular baseball audiences. The issue he raised was not about the game itself but about the advertising placed alongside it—and whether broadcasters should consider the age range of people watching.
Call’s remarks also brought a familiar question in sports broadcasting back into focus: how should networks balance advertisers’ freedom to market products with viewers’ expectations of family-friendly programming?
There has been no verified announcement in the reports reviewed that MLB or its broadcast partners agreed to remove the advertisements following Call’s complaint.
How Sydney Sweeney’s Novig Campaign Became Part of the Debate
Sweeney’s campaign for Novig, a sports prediction-market platform, has faced criticism since September. The advertisement uses sports equipment and revealing imagery to promote the company’s sports-focused offering.
The campaign drew objections from female athletes who argued that its presentation sexualized women rather than highlighting their sporting achievements. The Associated Press reported on the backlash, while ABC News documented criticism from Australian athletes and other sports figures.
The debate intensified after Sweeney shared another provocative Novig advertisement in October, according to entertainment and news reports. That renewed attention helped bring the campaign back into public discussion just as MLB playoff advertising was receiving scrutiny.
Still, the connection between Call’s post and Sweeney’s specific commercial needs careful wording. His message criticized advertisements collectively and did not explicitly identify the actress or Novig. News outlets made the connection based on the advertising controversy surrounding the playoff broadcasts.
Where Megan Fox Fits Into the Advertising Discussion
Some headlines about Call’s comments have also mentioned Megan Fox alongside Sweeney. That framing reflects wider coverage of revealing celebrity advertisements, but it should not be mistaken for confirmation that Call directly criticized Fox or a particular commercial featuring her.
The distinction matters because a trending headline can make an inference appear to be a confirmed statement. Call’s documented complaint concerned the ads appearing during baseball broadcasts and their suitability for family viewing. His post, as reproduced in the reports reviewed, did not name Fox.
For readers following celebrity news, the useful question is not simply which actress has become part of the online conversation. It is whether the athlete identified a particular campaign, whether the broadcaster has responded, and what evidence supports the connection.
A Bigger Question About Advertising During Live Sports
The dispute highlights a tension for broadcasters and advertisers. Provocative campaigns can attract attention, but that attention may also lead to criticism from viewers who expect sporting events to be suitable for family audiences.
Sweeney’s Novig campaign has already prompted disagreement about the representation of women in sports. Call’s intervention adds a separate concern: whether the advertisements shown during major games are appropriate for children watching alongside adults.
Those are related debates, but they are not identical. One concerns how women are portrayed in advertising; the other concerns the content families encounter during televised sports. Treating them separately offers a clearer picture of why the campaign continues to generate discussion.
As of October 15, the reports reviewed did not establish that MLB had changed its advertising policy in response to Call’s post. For now, his comments have added a prominent sports voice to an ongoing debate over the boundaries of advertising during live games.
Hello! I'm M Muzamil Shami, the founder and lead editor of Star Struck Times, your trusted source for trending news, entertainment scoops, celebrity gossip, sports highlights, and global headlines.
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