Fit to Stay: Understanding the Impact of Person-Group Fit on Transfer Intentions in College Sports

NCAA policy changes in 2021 regarding student-athlete transfer and external compensation have brought attention to the issue of turnover in college sports. Organizational psychologists have been studying turnover intentions and psychological antecedents of turnover intentions for years; however, little is known about the psychological variables that lead student-athletes to develop transfer intentions. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of both perceived supplementary and complementary person-group (PG) fit on student-athletes’ transfer intentions. It also examined affective commitment as a mediator between supplementary PG fit and intention to transfer and perceived team performance as a moderator in the relationship between complementary PG fit and intention to transfer. Results suggest that student-athletes’ perceptions of supplementary PG fit during preseason negatively predicted transfer intentions during postseason. This relationship was mediated by midseason affective commitment. Perceived complementary PG fit during preseason did not significantly impact transfer intentions during postseason, regardless of postseason perceived team performance. However, midseason perceptions of complementary PG fit did influence postseason transfer intentions. This study addresses gaps in research on PG fit and student-athlete transfer, contributes to a growing body of literature integrating sports and management research, and has practical implications for organizational leaders and coaches aiming to build high-retention teams.