Beyond Sports, Into Purpose
Available on
No Stats. No Scores. Just Who They Really Are.
The Giving Game takes professional athletes out of the game. What's left is the person — their story, their struggles, and the cause they'd fight for off the field. Every episode turns that conversation into a real fundraising challenge.
Listen on
About the show
It's not about sports. It's about what people do with the platform they've been given.
The Giving Game started with a question: what happens when you take sports out of a sports conversation?
It turns out you find the person. The kid who grew up with nothing. The veteran still carrying the war home. The pitcher who'd trade a highlight reel for one more family who can afford little league.
So that's the show. Professional athletes, with the sport left at the door. No stats, no scores, no surface-level interviews. Just real conversations about who they are and the causes they'd fight for — and then a fundraising challenge that gives every visitor a clear way to support the cause behind the story.
SOPHIE WHITESELL
Meet the Host
From the nurses' station to the mic
Sophie Whitesell didn't come from media. She came from healthcare — years as a Director of Nursing, in rooms where helping people wasn't a brand statement. It was the job.
That background shapes everything about the show. Sophie personally reaches out to every guest. No booking agencies, no PR scripts. That's why the conversations sound the way they do: unguarded, funny, and occasionally heavier than anyone planned. Athletes say yes because they can tell the difference between someone chasing content and someone who actually wants to know them.
How it Works
The Setup
Before every episode, the guest picks a cause. Not a PR-team pick — the one they actually care about. Sometimes it's their own foundation. Sometimes it's a small nonprofit nobody's heard of that's been doing the work quietly for years.
The Drop
When the episode goes live, the challenge opens with it. Donate what you can, share the episode or point someone else toward the cause.
The Result
When the challenge closes, we publish the number. No vague "thanks for your support" — you'll see exactly what was raised and where it went.
The Scoreboard
Every challenge we've run, every dollar accounted for.
Club
Shelter
THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE
Every story connects to
a cause.
Most shows ask you to like, comment, and subscribe. We ask you to change something. Here's how it works.
CURRENTLY PLAYING FOR
Merging Vets and Players
Guest: Matt Scott
Pairing combat veterans with former pro athletes — two groups who lose the same thing when the uniform comes off.
$ 3,250
Active Now
THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE
Every story connects to a cause.
Isaac Sekulima
Pro Golfer
Currently Playing For
Isaac Styles Golf Foundation
Opening doors to youth golf in Uganda — one swing, one kid, one future at a time.
Donate Now
Dave Dravecky
MLB All-Star, SF Giants
Currently Playing For
Endurance with Jan & Dave Dravecky
Providing comfort, encouragement, and hope to those facing cancer, grief, and loss — because endurance is not about ability, it is about faith.
Donate Now
Ben Zobrist
MLB World Series Champion
Playing For
Champion Forward
Youth sports mental and emotional health — helping young athletes build resilience and emotional tools on and off the field.
Donate Now
Griffin Pinkow
Founder, Athlete & Advocate
Playing For
Foreseeable Future Foundation
Empowering blind and visually impaired athletes through sports, recreation, and community awareness.
Donate Now
Tyson Ross
MLB Pitcher
Playing For
Loyal To My Soil
Breaking barriers to youth baseball access — giving every kid a shot at the game regardless of zip code or background.
Donate Now
Nate Boyer
Green Beret & NFL Long Snapper
Playing For
Merging Vets & Players
Pairing combat veterans with former pro athletes — two groups who lose the same thing when the uniform comes off.
Donate NowEvery Conversation Counts.
Other podcasters ask you to subscribe. We ask you to give to a great cause
BEN ZOBRIST
MATT STONE
GRIFFIN PINKOW
ISAAC SEKULIMA
TYSON ROSS
NATE BOYER
Turning Athlete Stories Into Real Reach
$48,000
Raised for charity
23
Challenges Complete
19
Non-Profits Supported
The Giving Game is early, but the reach is already real. New stories drop weekly, with more causes, campaigns, and impact to track as we grow.
The Latest Conversation
Ben Zorbist #7
The Hidden Struggles of Athletes and How to Overcome Them
Matt Stone #6
Baseball, Badges & Purpose with Matt Stone
Griffin Pinkow #5
More Than What You See
The Game is Simple.
The Conversation
Every episode starts with the person behind the athlete: what shaped them, what they care about, and the cause they want people to see.
The Challenge
When the episode drops, the challenge opens for that guest's chosen cause. Donate, share, participate, or help point someone else toward the mission.
The Impact
You listen, you share, you give. The challenge ends, the money lands where it's needed, and we announce exactly what it did.
Want in before the next story drops?
Get new episodes, causes, and challenges sent to your inbox
Sponsorship with a scoreboard.
Attach your brand to measureable charitable impact.
Episode Sponsorship
Exclusive pre roll and mid roll placements with host endorsements and custom segments. Connect directly with engaged listeners.
Challenge Matching
Double the impact by matching donations made during specific episodes or campaigns. Create urgency and excitment.
Merch Collabs
Co-band limited edition merchandise with proceeds supporting charitable causes. Extend your brand presence and impact.
THE AUDIENCE
125,000
monthly listners
85%
completion rate
3.5 M
social reach
$45
avg donation
Partner With Us
Every message gets read. 48-hours response, promised.
Athletes who stepped out of the game
MLB pitchers. Green Berets turned NFL players. Rising stars from across the world. They've all sat down, left the sport at the door, and talked about what actually matters to them.
Matt Stone
Matt Stone
Matt Stone
Professional BIO
Sophie Whitesell is the founder and host of The Giving Game, a purpose-driven media platform redefining the way audiences connect with professional athletes. Built on the belief that the most meaningful conversations happen beyond the game itself, The Giving Game focuses on the human side of sports — highlighting athletes’ personal stories, values, and the causes they care about most.
Through thoughtful conversations that move away from statistics and traditional sports commentary, Sophie creates a space where athletes can show up authentically and speak about impact, identity, philanthropy, and life beyond competition. Her work centers on storytelling with purpose, using media to inspire deeper connection, empathy, and meaningful change.
About
Sophie
Whitesell
Shop the Merch
