.... is that coaches might be inclined to think more about keeping their players better connected to their university and community at large. The trend to make college athletes more and more isolated from the campus and fellow students carries the risk that they feel a high degree of disconnect to the school and community and therefore much more likely to transfer when a better opportunity comes their way, or when coaching staff changes occur. I would think that keeping players better engaged and involved in school outside of their sport might improve the odds that they don't want to leave a place that feels more like "home" - especially after spending two or three years in a place.
I think our tendency to view players who enter the portal as disloyal or ungrateful fails to consider the fact that in the modern world of major college sports they often have very little opportunity to interact with students and staff outside the confines of their sport. If your college experience feels more like a job than an educational experience, I understand that it could be pretty easy to view a transfer as simply an opportunity for better pay (NIL) or a job at a higher-profile firm.
I think our tendency to view players who enter the portal as disloyal or ungrateful fails to consider the fact that in the modern world of major college sports they often have very little opportunity to interact with students and staff outside the confines of their sport. If your college experience feels more like a job than an educational experience, I understand that it could be pretty easy to view a transfer as simply an opportunity for better pay (NIL) or a job at a higher-profile firm.
