If they bring 5, they still have to add a 6th team, so lets say KU is that team. you go with 4 five team pods. The West coast teams now have 4 "close" games, but then have to fly at least one to three time zones away for the other 3 road games. Some how I just do not see the Big 10 teams in the eastern time zone real thrilled about making that trip a couple times a year. But BB teams would be a nightmare.That's why you don't add just one school - bring 5 so they have some geographic rivals and shorter trips. The P12 is already massively spread out geographically - no one is driving from Salt Lake City to Eugene. Other than in state rivals they're flying everywhere already. I think football is eventually going to just break away, at which point non-revenue sport travel won't be a factor.
If a conference like the American can make that geography work with 1/7th the budget of the B10, I don't really think geography is an issue.
All the AAC conference school are either in the Eastern or Central time zones, the furthest school to the west is SMU.
Little different than Oregon and Washington to Maryland and Rutgers.