Are college athletes' travel schedules too demanding?

The professionalization of college sports has taught schools and players to follow the money. Sometimes, the money isn't all that close to campus.

The powers that be have always used financial motivations to determine how conferences are shaped, created and realigned. That brainstorming exercise continues to the present day, and will probably persist for as long as college sports exist in the United States.

With that said, geographic considerations used to be factored in so proximal rivalries could develop and for student-athletes to be able to compete without logging too many frequent flyer miles.

That's no longer the case, as schools like UCLA travel the length of the country multiple times to compete within conference these days.

Programs are even traveling to different continents overseas to play games, as Villanova and Notre Dame will participate in a men and women's basketball showcase in Italy this November.

Conference realignment and international exhibitions drive revenue for everyone involved, and it can be argued that foreign trips for college athletes are a great way to see other parts of the world.

The other side of the coin involves rushed itineraries and body clock adjustments that college athletes of the past didn't have to consider as much as they do today.

Only time will tell if the payday was worth the experience.

Contact/Follow @College_Wire on X and @College_Wires on Threads. Like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of college sports news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: College athlete travel schedules may be becoming too demanding