Ahead In The Count Ep. 108 - Private Investment News with Mark Flickinger
Release Date: 09/30/2025
The CBA Countdown: What an MLB Salary Cap and Shrinking Draft Mean for Ball Players
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. The current collective bargaining agreement between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association...
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Mid-Year Market Update with Eric Cramer, CIO of BIP Wealth
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. In this quarterly market update episode, Eric Cramer, Chief Investment Officer at BIP Wealth, along with...
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Finding Your Number: How NIL and Revenue Sharing Are Changing the MLB Draft Calculus (Part 2)
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. How do you decide between signing a professional contract and playing college baseball? In Part 2 of this...
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Finding Your Number: How NIL and Revenue Sharing Are Changing the MLB Draft Calculus (Part 1)
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. What's Covered in This Episode How NIL and revenue share have changed the "find your number"...
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2026 MLB Draft Preparation Guide
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. In this essential episode, two former professional baseball players, Chase Murray and Jeremy Hermida,...
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Ep. 122 - Should Baseball Players Sell a Percentage of Their Future Earnings?
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. What if someone offered you millions of dollars today in exchange for a cut of everything you earn for...
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Ep. 121 - Early MLB Contracts: Should Young Players Sign or Bet on Themselves?
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. In this episode, former pros Kyle Schmidt and Jeremy Hermida break down one of the hottest...
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Ahead In The Count Ep. 120 - CIO Eric Cramer's Q1 QMR: Shifts, Volatilities, and Opportunities
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. The opening quarter of 2026 was anything but quiet. With a war in Iran reshaping the geopolitical...
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Ahead In The Count Ep. 119 - Private Credit Bubble & AI Disruption: Mark Flickinger Answers FAQs
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. This episode hits on three critical financial market challenges shaping 2026: the private credit bubble,...
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Ahead In The Count Ep. 118 - Fitting Into a New Clubhouse
Ahead In The Count
Welcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth. In this Opening Day episode of Ahead in the Count, former professional baseball players Chase Murray and...
info_outlineWelcome to "Ahead in the Count," presented by BIP Wealth. Our Baseball Division combines their collegiate and professional baseball playing experience with financial acumen to provide expertise in life on and off the field. We aim to give ballplayers and their families a better understanding about their unique lifestyle, the opportunities that come from playing this game, and insight into the complex financial world. This is "Ahead in the Count," hosted by Nolan Alexander, from BIP Wealth.
In this episode, Mark Flickinger returns to discuss why the fall of 2025 presents a unique opportunity for investing in private markets. The conversation covers current market dynamics, the importance of manager selection, and new accessibility options for private market investments.
Key Topics Discussed
Why Now Is an Attractive Time for Private Markets
- Valuation opportunities
- Buy low strategy
- Market fundamentals
Current Market Dynamics
- Capital constraints
- Opportunity zone
- Consolidation potential
The Private Market Shakeout
- Market correction: Approximately 50% fewer venture funds active compared to recent peak years
- Discipline matters
- Long-term perspective: Removing the COVID-era bubble reveals a consistent growth trajectory from 2017-forward
Increased Accessibility to Private Markets
- Evergreen funds and BDCs
- 401(k) developments
- IRA options: Self-directed IRAs already enabling private market participation with tax advantages
Investment Considerations for Ballplayers
- Manager selection is critical: Not all private equity returns are equal - performance varies significantly by manager
- Portfolio fit: Best investment available isn't always the right one for individual circumstances
- Professional guidance: Importance of working with experienced managers who evaluate deals daily
- Tax efficiency: Private credit investments work well in tax-advantaged accounts
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To contact the hosts, send an email to jhester@bipwealth.com, kschmidt@bipwealth.com, cmurray@bipwealth.com, or jhermida@bipwealth.com