Alex Call asks MLB to remove 'soft porn' playoff ads

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Alex Call asked Major League Baseball and its broadcast partners to remove what he called “soft porn ads” from postseason telecasts, saying he was concerned about watching games with his son. The request adds a family-viewing concern to criticism of a Novig advertising campaign featuring actor Sydney Sweeney, though Call did not name either Novig or Sweeney in his post. Call made the comments on X on October 14, replying to a fan thread that discussed commercials considered unsuitable for children and specifically mentioned Sweeney’s Novig ad. He asked MLB and broadcasters TBS, Fox and NBC to take the ads off playoff broadcasts. Call said parents should not have to worry about such content appearing while children watch baseball. The Novig campaign, called “Just Sports,” promotes the sports-focused prediction market platform. Its ads feature Sweeney posing with sports equipment, with limited clothing. The campaign has aired during MLB playoff broadcasts, according to reports, and had already drawn criticism from some female athletes over its portrayal of women in sports.