The west isn't weak, it is small. Getting to NCAAs from the West is a completely different ball game than in the east.
A national caliber 200 female in the west doesn't have to run rounds AT ALL to make it. and if she is high enough up the national list, she knows she is ALREADY IN the at large pool just by crossing the finish line.
She can train right through the regional meet and have an almost free pass to the NCAAs.
In other regions, you will need to make a serious effort to get out of the prelims. Not only is the racing demand very different, but the need/way to prepare for the meet is incredibly different. and likely unfair.
The best in the west are as good or better than the best in each other region. But the meets aren't remotely the same and that is a problem.
The coaches and coaches associations have had their chance to make changes, but everyone has been too stubborn to compromise.
If you know you can get 5 or so athletes to regionals each year, but almost never advance anyone to NCAAs, then you likely don't want to see regionals go. Regionals is your nationals. That is a very large population of schools.
If you have kids who are potential NCAA scorers, and your team sends many kids yearly to the NCAA meet, then regionals is just a thorn in your side before arriving at the big dance.
Regionals arrived as a back room political deal, and it will likely exit that way as well. The econonmy will be the scapegoat. And the big schools don't care why it is gone, only that it is gone.