That would be disastrous for the Daily and would not serve the interests of the free market. Neither is an acceptable alternative. Without that connection, the Daily would risk becoming ever more professional and engaging in direct competition with the Tribune. The fee, a bargain at a few cents per day, could probably not be raised enough to save the Daily without becoming an undue burden on students. And while eliminating a competitor might seem like good business to Gartner, it would not be good for the market.
Competition is good for the consumer and, in the long run, for the merchant.
The Tribune might succeed at using the courts to drive the Daily out of business, but only at the expense of good journalism in Ames and effective training for Iowa State's students. Most pernicious is the possibility that other student newspapers might face a Sophie's Choice between their fiscal well-being and their training mission. If The Iowa State Daily is forced to choose, that paper won't be the last.