I'm going to offer an alternative hypothesis, that the contact area between the platter/mat and the record varies as it is played. The downforce from the stylus tip pushes on the area of the record beneath it, causing a localised area of greater contact. A springy mat, such as felt, may have more give, allowing the record at this point to dip, possibly giving rise to undesirable movement in the vinyl. This can be seen on a TT like the planet, where the record can visibly flex under stylus pressure. OTOH, a record clamped onto a less yielding surface may move less, providing it is not warped or bowed in such a way as it then had the potential to move.
Systemdek made a dished platter, which may or may not be better. None of this is backed up by any evidence or measurement, merely thinking out loud about observed material behaviour.