Most baseball families think "insurance" only becomes relevant after a player signs a pro contract — but the truth is, disability insurance is already shaping decisions in high school recruiting, NIL negotiations, and college roster building.

In this episode of The Most Valuable Agent, MLB agent Matt Hannaford sits down with David Brookbank, co-founder of Income Protection Consultants (IPC), one of the most trusted independent voices in the disability insurance space for elite athletes. David has spent 30+ years inside disability policy structure, claims, and underwriting — and he's also deeply plugged into sports law and the business side of college athletics through Arizona State's sports law ecosystem.

Together, they break down what disability insurance actually is (and what it isn't), why "loss of value" is the most misunderstood term in amateur baseball, and how families can avoid the biggest mistake: listening only to the person selling the policy.

You'll learn the real layers of coverage (Permanent Total Disability, Critical Injury, Temporary Total Disability), how policy language can completely change whether a claim gets paid, why illness claims can be bigger than injury claims, and how universities are now using disability policies as a tool to attract and retain draft-level talent.

If you're a parent, player, or coach trying to understand what happens if he gets hurt — and how to protect a future before the draft/NIL money shows up — this episode gives you the roadmap.

Subscribe for weekly insight on player development, recruiting, and the business of baseball — with the truth families rarely hear early enough.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

• What disability insurance is in sports — and why it exists
• The 3 core layers of coverage: PTD vs Critical Injury vs Temporary Total Disability
• Why most policies cover athletes 24/7, not just during games
• The biggest misconception: why writers and families wrongly call everything "loss of value"
• How Tommy John/UCL coverage varies dramatically based on policy wording
• Why "required within 30 days" vs "performed within 30 days" can decide a claim
• Hidden fine print that can void a payout (ex: % of season missed requirements)
• The real claim rates David sees across hundreds of athletes each year
• How universities handle insurance options (and why they can't "direct" one policy)
• Why disability insurance is becoming part of NIL and revenue-share negotiations
• How high school draft prospects use disability coverage as a college decision lever
• What premiums can look like for pitchers — and why pitchers are the most expensive to insure
• Why policy honesty matters: applications, medical records, and avoiding claim denial

ABOUT DAVID

David Brookbank is the co-founder of Income Protection Consultants (IPC), a specialty consulting firm that analyzes and advises on disability insurance policies for elite athletes across high school, college, and professional sports. David began his career in disability insurance over three decades ago and now focuses on independent policy review, education, underwriting guidance, and claims navigation — without selling the policies himself. He holds a master's in legal studies with a concentration in sports law and contract law and is deeply connected to the sports business ecosystem through Arizona State.

ABOUT MATT HANNAFORD

Matt Hannaford is a 25-year MLB agent and founder of Aligned Sports. He has negotiated historic contracts, represented MVPs and All-Stars, and now delivers weekly insight on player development, recruiting, and the business of baseball through The Most Valuable Agent podcast.

CONNECT WITH MATT
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfhannaford/
Website: https://www.aligndsports.com/
YouTube (subscribe for weekly insight): https://www.youtube.com/@mostvaluableagent

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Most families enter youth and travel baseball thinking the goal is exposure, scholarships, or "getting paid" someday — but the financial reality of the game starts long before a player signs a pro contract. And when money finally shows up (NIL, draft bonuses, big-league paychecks), it often hits fast, loud, and overwhelming.

In this episode of The Most Valuable Agent, Matt sits down with Kyle Ourso, a wealth advisor who's spent nearly two decades inside pro baseball — first helping MLB players behind the scenes at Marucci, and now guiding athletes and sudden-net-worth clients through the financial decisions that can define (or derail) their future.

They break down what families and players actually need to know: how to choose a wealth advisor, why "fiduciary" matters, how fees quietly compound into millions, and why athletes are uniquely vulnerable to bad business pitches — not because they're irresponsible, but because they're wired to believe they can "will" anything into success.

The conversation also zooms out to the parent side: the hidden pressure created when travel baseball becomes a financial "investment," why budgeting matters more than most families realize, and how to support a son's dream without putting the family's future at risk.

If you've ever wondered who to trust, what to ask, and how to build real financial clarity in a world full of noise — this episode is for you.

Subscribe for weekly insight on player development, recruiting, and the business of baseball — with the truth families rarely hear early enough.

• Why athletes are prime targets for "too-good-to-be-true" business opportunities
• The difference between an idea and execution (and why most deals fail)
• What "fiduciary" really means — and how the term gets misused
• The most important questions to ask when interviewing wealth advisors
• How different fee structures work — and why some are brutally expensive long-term
• Why cash ≠ credit, and how young players get crushed on car/home financing
• How to think about money across a baseball career (bonus vs minor league salary vs big-league runway)
• Why private investments can be opportunity and liability for public athletes
• How MLB differs financially from NFL/NBA (cash flows, timelines, roster realities)
• The hidden damage when parents treat travel baseball as a "return on investment"

Kyle is a wealth advisor specializing in sudden net worth clients — including professional athletes and individuals whose income spikes early and fast. Before finance, Kyle spent nearly two decades in pro baseball with Marucci, working closely with MLB players and learning firsthand how elite performers think, operate, and get approached by outsiders. Today, he helps athletes build plans around cash flow, taxes, major purchases, long-term investing, and life after sports — with an emphasis on education, discipline, and trust.

Matt Hannaford is a 25-year MLB agent and founder of Aligned Sports. He has negotiated historic contracts, represented MVPs and All-Stars, and now delivers weekly insight on player development, recruiting, and the business of baseball through The Most Valuable Agent podcast.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfhannaford/
Website: https://www.aligndsports.com/
YouTube (subscribe for weekly insight): https://www.youtube.com/@mostvaluableagent

Most dads step into their son's baseball journey believing they need to fix, protect, analyze, and carry the weight of every result. It comes from love — but it often creates the exact pressure, resentment, and distance they're trying to avoid.

In this solo episode of The Most Valuable Agent, MLB agent Matt Hannaford reframes one of the most misunderstood roles in youth baseball: the role of the father. Your son doesn't need you to be the hero of his story. He needs you to be the guide.

Matt breaks down why trying to "save" your son from failure actually limits his growth, how constant instruction creates dependence instead of confidence, and why the car ride home becomes the most damaging moment in a young player's experience.

You'll learn how to shift from control to clarity, from pressure to trust, and from performance-based approval to the kind of support that allows young players to grow — not just as athletes, but as men.

If you're a dad who wants to stay involved without damaging the relationship or the development process, this episode will change how you show up.

Subscribe for weekly guidance on navigating youth baseball, parenting, and player development with clarity, truth, and strategy.

• Why your son — not you — must be the hero of his baseball journey
• How dads unintentionally create pressure by trying to "help" too much
• The difference between being the hero and being the guide
• Why constant instruction kills confidence and ownership
• How to communicate support without controlling outcomes
• What questions build trust instead of resentment
• Why the car ride home is the most dangerous moment for relationships
• How approval tied to performance damages long-term growth
• What happens when dads step into the guide role instead
• How this shift impacts your son far beyond baseball

Your son must carry the challenge — that's how growth happens.
Your power as a father doesn't come from control; it comes from clarity and trust.
Your words, tone, and presence either build safety or create fear.
When you guide instead of manage, your son plays freer, communicates more, and grows faster.

Matt Hannaford is a 25-year MLB agent and founder of Aligned Sports. He has represented Hall of Famers, negotiated landmark contracts, and now helps families navigate youth baseball, recruiting, and development with clarity, honesty, and long-term perspective.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfhannaford/
Website: https://www.aligndsports.com/
YouTube (subscribe for weekly episodes): https://www.youtube.com/@mostvaluableagent

#BaseballParents #YouthBaseball #MostValuableAgent