Athlete Wealth Podcast

Before the draft, we often hear agents and families say things like:

• I don’t have any money; why should we be talking to financial advisors;
• I don’t want to put the cart before the horse; or
• We will just wait and interview financial advisors after the draft.

Unfortunately, statements and approaches like these lead to players losing both money and opportunities that are often not recoverable. Mainstream media, some agents, and most financial education in the United States have sent the wrong message that financial advice is just about picking investments.

Let’s look at a few important types of Financial Advice that aren’t picking investments:

• Tax Planning: Taxes are the #1 Destroyer of Wealth; how much will you be paid after taxes; is there a way to structure payments or change contract language to maximize my after-tax draft bonus; are you receiving NIL money now that you need to address?
• Residency Planning: State of Residency can affect your after-tax income significantly; this is an opportunity that is lost if not handled appropriately and contemplated in advance of the draft.
• Financial Planning & Budgeting: Baseball Players are 4x more likely to become bankrupt than the average American; understanding how to avoid becoming part of this statistic by proactively planning from the beginning and not wasting your opportunity.
• Financial Education: The #1 cause of divorce in the United States are financial issues; You need to understand your relationship with money and what it means to you.
• Insurance & Risk Management: Understanding how to protect yourself from liability; do you have the proper auto insurance, umbrella insurance, disability insurance, etc. in place for what your career and life present?
• Estate Planning: Understanding your estate and how to properly manage it; what happens if something were to happen to you; can I protect my privacy by utilizing a trust?
• Real Estate Planning: Purchasing homes, renting out properties both as the owner and the person leasing, and disposing of properties.

This list could go on with numerous other activities that are financial advice that aren’t limited to just buying and selling investments.  As you can see, there is plenty of financial advice where expert help is needed BEFORE the draft to maximize your opportunity and truly understand the decisions you are making.

You are different from 99.95% of people in the United States…don’t you think you should also prepare differently? 

You found an agent because you believed they were the best person in the world to help maximize your draft contract, you work out with the best trainers available, and you would see the best doctors in the world to protect your career.  Why would you do anything differently on the financial side and leave it up to chance?

This is both a business and financial decision, and you need to surround yourself with the most qualified people so that you can maximize your opportunity.

What is the difference between amateur and professional baseball? Money.

Overnight, with your name being called in the MLB Draft and the signing of a contract, you instantly transform into a professional.  Even though this might be your first decision based on money, you have been a part of the industry of baseball for years.  Everyone around you has been making monetary decisions about you for years. A few examples include:

• Perfect Game has estimated revenues in excess of $80 million
• Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) is creeping into the amateur ranks
• MLB is an almost $12 billion dollar industry and they have been spending tens of thousands of dollars to evaluate you
• Agents are making financial decisions about what you are worth to their business and whether you are a good investment

The industry of baseball has been preparing for you, but have you been preparing for the industry of baseball?

With everyone else placing a value on you and trying to maximize their return on investment, do you know how you can maximize your value to yourself, or even where to start?

Whether you have the skillsets or not and whether you are prepared for it, you are now the CEO of a multimillion-dollar business.  As the CEO, you have the responsibility of whether the business of you will succeed or fail.  That is a lot of pressure, but the earlier you recognize this fact, the better you can prepare yourself to handle this responsibility and maximize your opportunity.

One of the most important jobs CEOs have is surrounding themselves with the right team.  As a professional baseball player, you don’t just need to hire a team, you need to hire the right team. 

Your team should consist of:

• Trainers
• Physical Therapists
• Dieticians
• Pitching/Hitting/Fielding Coaches
• Agents
• A Financial Team
• Mental Health Coaches
• Recovery Specialists

A team like this will put you in the best position to be one of the few players that makes it to arbitration and free agency as well as to avoid the 4 times more likelihood of bankruptcy that MLB players face. 

This harsh reality isn’t meant to scare you.  Rather, it is to help educate and prepare you to seize the opportunity in front of you.  Whether you succeed as the CEO of the business of you is dependent on understanding the opportunity in front of you. 

It’s time for you to get to work! 

Molly Sewald, the wife of Mariner's closer Paul Sewald, has a unique story to share of their experience in the minor leagues and stewarding their wealth. Molly and I discuss a topic that can be difficult or exciting for others to talk about - choosing a financial advisor.

Molly first shares important context and background on their personal story, which weaves into what feelings they felt when choosing an advisor. Their biggest hurdle was paying another fee to someone else and to quote Molly, "do we really want to pay someone to invest our money?"

Molly shares that after hiring a family office, the value is obvious and far outweighs the cost of the service - and even goes as far as to state that a competent advisor is 'a lifeline' for their family.

Her advice to others who may be experiencing something similar is simple - seek guidance. You never know where you can receive help for your specific situation.

Episode Highlights

• 1:30: Molly shares how she and Paul met in the Arizona Fall League, and how Molly at first thought that Paul was a student at ASU, not a professional baseball player.
• 4:37: Molly discusses her and Paul's time in the minors, and how Paul had to continually prove himself time and time again for every minor league promotion.
• 6:00: In his final year as a minor leaguer, Paul & Molly experienced what may be their biggest emotional setback in that he didn't make the team out of spring training.
• 7:51: A common theme for non-prospects is that they feel like they need to be perfect - Molly shares the weight of that stress of rooting for Paul to be perfect. She even goes as far as to share how her heart would sink if she received a phone call from Paul at the field, fearing that they were going to get optioned.
• 9:45: Molly shares the weight of her stress was recognizing Paul's stress.
• 11:53: Molly shares about when Paul's contract was non-renewed, she was relieved and excited for a new opportunity.
• 14:32: New opportunities bring new options and new confidence - Molly shares the confidence that Paul gained in Seattle, where he became the most important reliever in their bullpen.
• 17:13: Molly shares their personal story of how they handled finances prior to hiring an advisor, which was to save as much money as possible - a plan that every human should have!
• 18:01: When choosing an advisor, Molly shares how their eyes were opened to a lot of planning that is available to them as their wealth grew - tax planning, investments, automation, and even protecting their wealth.
• 18:17: She shares that hiring an advisor was a way for her and Paul to educate themselves, and then ultimately have people on their team who help automate their future.
• 18:48: Knowing what they know now, Paul and Molly recognize that they would not be where they are today without the help of a trusted advisor.
• 20:47: Molly shares that her biggest fear when they were looking to hire an advisor was "do we really want to pay someone to invest our money." She felt like it would just be one more fee that she was not totally psyched about.
• 21:51: Molly admits that after learning about what a family office does and its services, the value created far outweighs the fee.
• 24:00: Simplicity is the goal - and Molly shares how an advisor's job is to simplify their matters and optimize their family's future.
• 25:15: Molly shares that the convenience of having all advice being in a one-stop-shop for taxes, savings, investments, communication with teams payroll, players' agents, etc. further expands on that level of simplicity that they desire.
• 27:00: Money is a tool to be taken of for what's important to you - and Molly shares that its services, and the security of their daughter is what is important to them in regards to money.
• 28:28: Molly's advice to other families is to seek guidance for your situation, and a competent team that works day in and day out for your family.

Stevie Rasmussen, the wife of Ray's pitcher Drew Rasmussen, has a unique story to share of their experiencing true adversity in the big leagues.

Everyone at some capacity knows that there will be hard times for families in the minor leagues. Still, few families are prepared and equipped with the tools to handle the complex circumstances that families will experience.

Drew was drafted in the first round after his junior year - only to have this opportunity taken away due to a failed medical exam. Stevie shares how they have handled and persevered through many a trying time in baseball.

Stevie shares their vulnerable story of how they went from being overnight millionaires to having to return to Oregon State for Drew's senior season - and having to take out student loan debt to fund his senior season.

Stevie's simple yet profound advice to other baseball spouses going through similar circumstances - adversity in the game of baseball is inevitable. How you respond to that adversity and support your family is what truly matters.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• 2:44 - Stevie discusses how she didn't want to be dating an athlete while at Oregon State, but Drew changed her mind
• 4:18 - Sophomore year of college - Drew received his first Tommy John Surgery. Stevie discusses how Drew felt isolated and not part of the team
• 5:09 - Stevie talks about how prior to the surgery, she saw that her identity was built around Drew and baseball, and the surgery grew their relationship
• 6:12 - After rehab Drew returned to pitch in the College World Series and subsequently get drafted in the first round of the MLB draft
• 6:33 - Drew flew to Tampa Bay to be announced as the Rays first-rounder, only to find out that his elbow was blown out again, and Drew received Tommy John surgery #2.
• 8:45 - Stevie discusses the feelings she experienced during Drew's surgery
• 10:01 - Stevie goes deeper regarding how easy it is to have her identity wrapped up in Drew - even going so far as to introduce herself as "Drew's wife"
• 11:39 - Stevie discusses her feelings of Drew's second surgery - where they went from receiving a $2.1m signing bonus to working landscaping in Corvallis OR being in student loan debt
• 15:55 - Stevie shares the 2 different draft experiences - with the second time being drafted by the Brewers
• 18:40 - Drew's debut was in COVID of 2020 - Stevie, unfortunately, watched the debut in the hotel across the street.
• 21:20 - In 2021, Drew was traded to the Rays, and Stevie shares how this was her roughest part of baseball
• 22:30 - The wives' community is strong - and showed up when Stevie needed them most. Brooke Burnes, wife of Cy Young award winner Corbin Burnes, showed up and helped Stevie pack her entire apartment.
• 27:55 - The Power of the Baseball Wives
• 28:40 - Money does not fix our problems - money is just a tool to be taken care of for what's important.
• 31:50 - Stevie discusses how fortunate they are, and how they optimize their resources for their family, their community, and giving back.
• 35:26 - Stevie discusses the powerful perspective of families navigating the questions of 'can you' afford something vs. 'should you'
• 37:53 - Stevie's advice - adversity is inevitable. Lean on the community and ask for help.