...would prefer (for) the NCAA to stay...

This Forbes article "NCAA Needs To Investigate UConn For Its Alleged Mistreatment Of Prospective Football Players" has this:

Furthermore, if the NCAA does not nip in the bud the growing trend of high-profile coaches engaging in deceptive recruiting practices, conduct such as that alleged of UConn head football coach Randy Edsall might become the norm in college sports. This would further tarnish to image of both the NCAA and its member colleges.

Of course, many of the elite college football coaches would probably prefer for the NCAA to stay out of this matter as they seek the discretion to recruit college athletes without the risk of sanction.

None of the dictionaries I've consulted shows the construction "prefer for someone/something to do something" but the one without the "for".

So, I guess the Forbes writer could have easily left out the "for" in the quote and written this:
Of course, many of the elite college football coaches would probably prefer the NCAA to stay out of this matter as they seek the discretion to recruit college athletes without the risk of sanction.

Am I right?

Now, how natural and idiomatic is the original construction with "for"?