Flying in to a team’s headquarters for a (personal) sit down interview is extremely valuable. You get a feel for the energy/vibe of the human being, have a genuine conversation, talk some football, talk about life/future, etc. You know.....a more intimate conversation that can’t be duplicated via phone, email, video chat. Plus, a lot of players like to wined and dined to see just how much a team wants them. They get to explore the city more, interact with fans who are recruiting them in a lot of the city’s environments. That’s why it’s called a free agency tour. Sometimes players only gets to experience that once in their football careers.