though or just the members with the most influence and/or power? Before you answer that question I suggest you think about this guy (see the picture).

Yes, people think a conference is speaking on behalf of the interests of all of its members and that may work in an ideal world. However, we don't live in an ideal world and so we have examples where a conference may be looking out for the interests of its most influential members. Examples include: ACC looking out for the interests of the Carolina Cartel, ACC adding L'ville to keep Clemson and FSU from leaving the conference, the Big East Football Conference looking out for the interests of the "basketball schools," the Big East kicking out the "football schools" because it didn't suit the interests of the "basketball schools," Metro Conference kicking out VT and VCU because it no longer suited L'ville's interests (among other schools), etc. I bet if you look at the history of every collegiate conference, then you will find there were decisions made by the conference that sometimes only benefited certain members or more than the other members instead of always benefiting every member equally.