Your kidding yourself. The SANFL have a financial interest in Port. They own their licence through a contract, which guarentees them rights.
You really need to understand contract law. Just because the AFL has more money doesnt mean they can ignore contract law. Thats what courts are for. The SANFL could and would pay for any legal cost to defend their rights. If it was a simple as you said the AFL would have just taken back the licences but they couldnt and they had to be bought back. Sorry to burst your bubble. And as the SANFL owned Ports arse they would have made them cut costs and reduce spending to bring the loss down to where it wasnt a hit to the SANFL. Infact they should have done so many years ago. The fact that the SANFL allowed PAP to be poorly ran is their own fault.
Dont kid yourself.
Missed the point completely cleric. Take off the blinkers mate. The sanfl were needing to financially support port more and more. They had maxed out their credit at their bank. They couldn't extract any extra from us, because we have a contract regarding our stadium deal and if you understand contract law, you will know that.
So, the sanfl has lent a loss-making entity $16m over the last few years. The afl has chipped in some millions as well. If port continue to play at footy park, they will continue to need sanfl assistance ($3-$4m/yr?) to stay afloat. The sanfl is fast closing in on its credit limit. How many more years can they continue to keep port afloat? They have a license agreement with the afl that requires a second SA team play each week. What do they do cleric? Where is the money to keep their competition and investment in grass-roots football plus port Adelaide's cash lifeline going to come from?
The answer is staring you in the face, but there are non so blind as those that won't see. Especially those blinded by pure hatred of all things port adelaide est 1870.