I have reading comprehension issues. I get what you want now. If you can't get the code for free, might as well donate for the custom backend code... P.S. Emu server code is not owned by sony... so donating for that ... should not be an issue. Technically.
Lots of precedent, microsoft thought they owned the entire BSD TCIP stack, not so. Because of some netbios bullshit that was copypasted or something (I am not a nerd historian expert, someone could probably elaborate, but the idea is the same). But big legal defense fees have kept Redhat, IBM, and Novell down =/
On the other hand an MIT license on emu back end might get the project big enough so it could support an emulator IBM of sorts. It might not even be a problem for Sony, more like an issue with the license of the server code itself... I never looked into it.
But if R99 emu was forked open source it would be unstoppable, no one could end it. The project will never make big money though because of those issues. It will always be in the realm of Non Profit - hobby coding only -. Most of the tweaks are database and non-code anyway. "Game Rules" cannot be copyrighted.
http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html and those dbase entries are "devices" used to play the games AFAIK (or care to argue)
P.S. I'm glad someone likes messing with emu as a hobby. Thanks =)