You're right about the first part --- AA didn't sell its gates. But they didn't got kicked out.
AA is still the primary leaseholder, and is subleasing its gates to VX.
And, as I have pointed out no less than a dozen times, the Consent Agreement with the DOJ expires before AA's lease does. It is entirely possible that AA could cancel VX's sublease (assuming they're still operating).
I find it so curious how you flip-flop on the issue of branded service.
When DL's using RJ's to compete, you never make the differentiation, yet when someone else does it you find it necessary to make the differentiation.