distance travel (think Rutgers v Oregon), so they need to be a regional conference.
If they kick out the bottom feeders (Wyoming, new Mexico, etc) they can get more TV money now and in the future.
Since they have less members, round robin will only have 7 conference games, so I'm assuming they're going to tell the TV partners they'd have at least one P4 game a year to broadcast.
This is their best long play in my opinion. Become the best of the rest/West and get the most g6 money of any conference. Who else could they have added?