Ideas, they say, are a dime a dozen. In this age of the podcast, this is certainly true: with an estimated 4.52 million of them the world over, there is barely any ground left uncovered.
For any new one, there will be a thousand others addressing the same themes, vying for the same eyes and ears.
The real kicker lies in the execution: production value, intra-panel dynamics, authenticity and interesting angles on the same stories. In other words, all of the areas in which the brilliant Hindsight Podcast excels. Since launching in 2019 with a vision to “form authentic and original thought patterns, build our opinions and narratives based off of our own independent observations”, the five-person THP gang has risen to become a major player in the sports media space, not only capturing hearts and minds but elevating the quality of discourse in the field.
Football is huge in Nigeria. Whether as it pertains to the national teams or European leagues, there is no shortage of viewpoints and, with the ubiquity of social media, no barriers to the dissemination of those opinions.
However, with so many big-name British and American commentators owning the space, it is important for any new players in the media landscape tofind a unique voice. “What we did not want to be,” host Yubby Nduonofit explains, “was a show that reminded people the fixtures/results of football matches or simply echoed the thoughts and opinions of some foreign pundits/writers.”
Hence the theme of the show: ‘Come for the football, stay for the banter’, a nod to the
unconventional slant of the conversations. It is very much an “entertainment show that does
sports”, rather than the other way around, and while there is no shortage of informed, insightful analysis, the personalities on the podcast have gotten over by being precisely that –personalities, each with their individual quirks.
Iniobong Monday’s ‘Seniorman’ is the oldhead archetype, full of wisdom, nostalgia and
anecdotes, but his equanimity often clashes with IBK’s jocular irreverence and roguish energy.
Olakunle Rufai brings an impressive bandwidth and versatility, able to hopscotch masterfully
between subjects, and Yubby, as host, sets the tone for the conversation expertly, keeping the
various energies contained so long as there is no mention of either his beloved Manchester
United or Jose Mourinho. When that happens, all bets are off and the show is apt to devolve
into chaos – but of a controlled, humorous strain.
From the start, based on its mission statement and planned aesthetic, it was immediately
obvious the show would need to be independent. With legacy media, there would be far too
many restrictions, too much red tape. Plus, the vision, driven by a desire for excellence, was bigger than most could accommodate; with shows like TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA’ as inspiration, it
was necessary to have final say over the visual identity of the product.
This is where producer Oluwole Ola comes in: the ace cinematographer, described as the “fifth member of the cast who just doesn’t sit in on set”, oversees and executes the technical
aspects, and is largely responsible for the final product. “It was important to us to break the stereotype that a football show can only look, sound and feel a certain way,” Yubby says.
“Frankly, we never understood or agreed with that concept but, in sub-Saharan Africa, we’re
the anomaly.”
The Hindsight Podcast styles itself as a niche community, but has peaked at 1.5 million on
views on TikTok and amassed a sizable following across YouTube and Instagram. It is rated 4.9
out of 5 on Spotify and, in 2022 and 2024, the show won big at the Ballers’ and African
Podcast and Voice awards for Best Sports Podcast/online content.
With estimated production costs of N1 million a month and revenue of under N10 million in six
years, profitability remains some way off, and indeed on the eve of the 2022 World Cup, a
setback sparked an existential crisis within the project. “We were hours away from a major
sponsorship deal that fell through at the signing stage – think (John Obi) Mikel’s failed move to Manchester United,” Yubby recalls. “The team took a huge morale hit and I remember our
WhatsApp group being quiet for a month. We were out on the open sea, with no iota of wind in
our sails.”
They bounced back from that, however, with their resolve strengthened. Money aside, the main battle has been consistency. With production value high on the priority list, there is a danger of a lack of flexibility, especially in the fast-paced world of football.
Having fought it for so long, here there has been a measure of necessary compromise: recording some shows virtually.
It has taken time and effort, however – the crew freely admit that, going in, they underestimated how long it would take to “raise the consciousness and overall quality of work required to turbocharge the ecosystem.” However, going into a sixth year, there is confidence that theworst is past, and now they can lift their heads and scan the horizon. “The goal has always been to build a larger media corporation that eventually houses the show and births other related endeavours,” Yubby says.
“Currently, we are executing only a tenth of our ideas. We are biding our time and hoping to
bring in the right investment. By year 10, there will not be a show as dynamic and compelling as ours, God willing.”
Catch the All New Season 6 of THP, on 15th, August. On all digital platforms
Linktree – https://linktr.ee/Thehindsightpod
Author: Solace Chukwu, is one of Africa’s foremost football columnists, with over a decade of experience working with various media outlets including Goal, Guardian UK, Pulse Sports and NewFrame News. While football is his first love, he also follows and comments on boxing and tennis.
