Rephonic
Artwork for Not by the Playbook

Not by the Playbook

BBC World Service
Olympics
Olympic Games
Cycling
Mental Health
Skateboarding
Tennis
Paralympics
Wimbledon
Women's Sports
Women's Football
Hockey
Donald Trump
NFL
Cobb County
Climate Change
Hurricane Katrina
Triathlon
Horse Racing
Winter Olympics
Tour De Trump

Inspirational stories from around the world. Interviews with people defying the odds. Discover Not by the Playbook - the podcast which seeks out the most incredible stories from sportspeople and athletes. We bring you interviews with the sporting heroes who have achieved success in the face of seemingly impossible challenges.

Hear from some of the most famous names in sport on subjects you've neve... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes572Founded13 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Sports

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Not by the Playbook

Latest Episodes

We start in the Arctic Circle, via the Welsh valleys, where Cath Pendleton has always loved swimming. Born from a childhood playing in the rivers of her home town of Merthyr, all through her life, her time in the water has been a sanctuary from the s... more

Do you ever find yourself thinking back to the good old days, whenever they were, and thinking about someone you've not seen for a while and wondering "What ever happened to" Well this week we hear from four former elite sport stars who are now enjoy... more

Author Dagny Scott Barrios, once wrote “Every run is a work of art, a drawing on each day's canvas. Some runs are shouts and some runs are whispers. Some runs are eulogies and others celebrations. When you're angry, a run can be a sharp slap in the f... more

"It is never too late to be what you might have been" so wrote the Victorian author George Elliot. Having searched the globe for the best stories in sport we have found four people that might just force you to redefine what it is you think can still ... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

More or Less
More or LessBBC Radio 4
Newscast
NewscastBBC News
Chat 10 Looks 3
Chat 10 Looks 3Chat 10 Looks 3
The Documentary Podcast
The Documentary PodcastBBC World Service
Unexpected Elements
Unexpected ElementsBBC World Service

Recent Guests

Joe Balnton
World Series-winning baseball pitcher and wine entrepreneur
Philadelphia Phillies / Sala Wines
Episode: What happened next
Zach Schubert
Olympic beach volleyball player turned cricket entrepreneur
Australian beach volleyball / cricket venture
Episode: What happened next
Josh Navidi
Welsh rugby union player and DJ
Wales Rugby / DJ
Episode: What happened next
Faramarz Assef
Iranian triple jumper turned pop musician
Iranian pop music scene / LA exiled artist
Episode: What happened next
Adrienne Bunn
Youngest woman to finish the Ironman World Championship; autistic athlete
Adrienne Bunn, athlete
Episode: Run for your life
Beatie Deutsch
Orthodox Jewish marathon runner and Israel national champion
Beatie Deutsch
Episode: Run for your life
Jenny Mannion
Ultra marathon runner and founder of Runners and Stunners
Runners and Stunners
Episode: Run for your life
Doug (coach)
Coach of Adrienne; experienced Ironman trainer
Coach in Adrienne's program
Episode: Run for your life
Nina Kuscsick
Pioneer for women's marathon rights; 1972 protestor
Historical figure; Boston/NY Marathon advocate
Episode: Run for your life

Hosts

Katie Smith
Host of Not by the Playbook, BBC World Service
Joel Hammer
Producer

Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars from 25 ratings
  • Cracking listen!

    Really great listen with loads of stories I've not heard covered anywhere else. Thoughtful, goes to the heart of sport. Not just scores, but how sport interacts with culture, society and politics

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Abdoujaparov's bike
    United Kingdom12 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The show brings humanity to athletes, with intimate stories that stay with you after the episode ends
Excellent interview depth and diverse guest lineup makes it a standout for sponsorship alignment and guest pitches
Cracking listen! Really great listen with loads of stories I've not heard covered anywhere else. Thoughtful, goes to the heart of sport. Not just scores, but how sport interacts with culture, society and politics

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#88
China/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#118
Saudi Arabia/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#155
New Zealand/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#191
Norway/Sports
Apple Podcasts
#233
Singapore/Sports

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Run for your life
Q: How did Adrienne's autism shape her training and racing approach?
Her coaches and family tailored training to her neurological profile, focusing on structure, desensitization to race environments, and gradual exposure, which allowed her to complete Kona with strong performance.
Organ-ised chaos
Q: Why did you transition into para-sport and how did that shape your athletic philosophy?
I discovered para-sport in college, found purpose in goal-setting and competing against my own best times, which helped me stay motivated and resilient across disciplines.
On top of the world!
Q: What was the moment like when Hari reached the summit on Mount Vinson?
The moment was overwhelming and transformative, with a deep sense of pride in the team and a realization that the achievement would inspire others, especially given the risks and the personal history involved.
Doing things differently
Q: How did Tabitha Stoecker describe the mindset needed for skeleton racing?
She emphasized staying calm, relying on breath, and trusting intuition during a descent, which signals a strong run even when memories of the ride are fuzzy afterward.
Doing things differently
Q: What was the turning point that pushed Katrina Webb toward Paralympic competition?
A coach suggested she could go to the Atlanta Paralympics, which helped her confront her disability and seek psychological tools to reframe her thinking and accept her abilities, leading to a pathway to multiple Paralympic Games.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Not by the Playbook

What is Not by the Playbook about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Not by the Playbook delivers inspirational, in-depth conversations with athletes and sports-adjacent figures who have defied odds. Across episodes, conversations center on resilience, adaptation, and human stories behind performance—from endurance feats and late-life reinventions to mental health, leadership, and identity beyond sport. The show tends to blend intimate origin stories with broader themes like mentorship, media dynamics, gender equity in sport, and the role of sport in culture and community. A standout pattern is the host's willingness to go beyond triumphs to explore mindset, recovery, and social impact, making it a compelling listen for brands seeking authentic, values-driven storytelling and for sponsors targeting audiences... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Not by the Playbook?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Not by the Playbook. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Not by the Playbook and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Not by the Playbook get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Not by the Playbook, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Not by the Playbook?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Not by the Playbook, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Not by the Playbook have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Not by the Playbook has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Not by the Playbook?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Not by the Playbook:

1. More or Less
2. Newscast
3. Chat 10 Looks 3
4. The Documentary Podcast
5. Unexpected Elements

How many episodes of Not by the Playbook are there?

Not by the Playbook launched 13 years ago and published 572 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Not by the Playbook?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Not by the Playbook?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Not by the Playbook from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Not by the Playbook?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Not by the Playbook. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Not by the Playbook?

Recent guests on Not by the Playbook include:

1. Joe Balnton
2. Zach Schubert
3. Josh Navidi
4. Faramarz Assef
5. Adrienne Bunn
6. Beatie Deutsch
7. Jenny Mannion
8. Doug (coach)

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days