[Goose]

I’m honestly curious — I don’t know what the recruiting scene is like in all the farthest corners. Have those games been helping the recruiting?

I don't know, and I am going to say nobody objectively "knows". There is no practical way to compare playing these road games with not doing so. There are too many other factors that you can't hold constant. The coaches sometimes go watch high school games in the area we are visiting, which could help. There also may be a few benighted souls that don't have any idea Stanford exists. I would suggest that it is improbable these persons newly enlightened by our visit to the area are also probable recruits, but I certainly can't prove it. I think it is more "We need to do something, playing road games far from home is something".
I would argue the people who benefit the most from these games are the alumni and the players. Alumni that live far from Stanford can get  together locally and see "their" team in person (which they otherwise couldn't), and the players get a chance to do something different than  just slog through monotonous practices day after day. Granted, it requires some extra effort, but it may be well worth it. I would imagine if the players didn't much like these road games, that word would get out. It may not change anything, but it would be known. Since we don't hear that, I assume they are either in favor or neutral at worst.

[Goose]

I’m honestly curious — I don’t know what the recruiting scene is like in all the farthest corners. Have those games been helping the recruiting?

I don't know, and I am going to say nobody objectively "knows". There is no practical way to compare playing these road games with not doing so. There are too many other factors that you can't hold constant. The coaches sometimes go watch high school games in the area we are visiting, which could help. There also may be a few benighted souls that don't have any idea Stanford exists. I would suggest that it is improbable these persons newly enlightened by our visit to the area are also probable recruits, but I certainly can't prove it. I think it is more "We need to do something, playing road games far from home is something".
I would argue the people who benefit the most from these games are the alumni and the players. Alumni that live far from Stanford can get  together locally and see "their" team in person (which they otherwise couldn't), and the players get a chance to do something different than  just slog through monotonous practices day after day. Granted, it requires some extra effort, but it may be well worth it. I would imagine if the players didn't much like these road games, that word would get out. It may not change anything, but it would be known. Since we don't hear that, I assume they are either in favor or neutral at worst.