USA: Critics of alcohol advertising are lobbying the NCAA to prohibit beer commercials during televised college sports events, saying they conflict with efforts to reduce underage and binge drinking on campuses, Philadelphia Inquirer posted on April 4. Led by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, critics also accused the NCAA of being too close to Anheuser-Busch because of the brewer's financial support.

The fundamental issue is reducing youth exposure to alcohol ads during televised sports events, Jay Hedlund, director of the center's Campaign for Alcohol-Free Sports TV, said at a news conference Friday in St. Louis.

However, the NCAA doesn't see any need for a ban given existing restrictions, which limit ads to one 60-second or two 30-second spots for each hour broadcast. "I doubt an individual seeing one or two beer ads in the course of an hour would be led down the road" to abuse, said NCAA spokesman Bob Williams. In 2003, only about 5 percent of all ads aired during the men's and women's Final Four were for beer, he added.

06 April, 2005