Ward, had founded the AAFC. After the game's contract with the NFL expired with the 1948 game, Ward refused to renew it. He attempted to help the AAFC by putting its champion into the prestigious game. However, the NFL was able to convince the Tribune's board to override Ward and force him to re-sign with the NFL, handing the AAFC an embarrassing defeat. Red ink on both sides continued to flow. The Colts and Hornets were only kept afloat when Dons owner Ben Lindheimer subsidized them. The Green Bay Packers, then as now owned by a local civic group, had to issue new stock to remain solvent. Now facing two cross-town rivals, the Bulldogs predictably had even lower attendance in New York than in Boston. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions were also having serious financial problems. However, the NFL had a critical advantage in that its ownership was deeply committed to ensuring the survival of their teams. In contrast, it was becoming clear that the AAFC's better-financed owners, who were accustomed to operating profitable businesses as opposed underwriting expenses year after year, were not willing to absorb losses indefinitely. On the field, Cleveland finally showed some vulnerability. An opening day tie with the Bills ended their winning streak, and on October 9 the 49ers ended their unbeaten streak in a 56–28 upset to move into first place. Things soon reverted to form, however. The Browns won the rematch with the 49ers 30–28; and Cleveland (9–1–2) and San Francisco (9–3) finished one-two for the fourth consecutive year. Brooklyn-New York and Buffalo were the other playoff qualifiers, followed by Chicago and Los Angeles. Baltimore finished far behind at 1–11. In playoff action, Cleveland defeated Buffalo 31–21 and San Francisco defeated Brooklyn–New York 17–7. The two best teams in AAFC history met at last with the title at stake, with the Browns winning the final title 21–7. No MVP was named for this season. The Browns now owned a 52–4–3 record and all four AAFC titles. Merger On December 9, 1949, two days before the AAFC title game, the two leagues made peace. Three AAFC teams were admitted to the NFL: the Browns, 49ers, and Colts. The Dons merged with the Rams, while the Bills, Yankees, and Hornets folded. The enlarged league was renamed the National–American Football League. The Browns and 49ers, as the AAFC's two strongest teams, were obvious choices: San