"I think it would take a certain percentage of potential advertisers out of the market who would then be replaced fairly quickly by other advertisers," Young said. "If you look at the ban on cigarette advertising on television or in magazines, I don't think it has caused any of the TV networks or magazine publishers to go broke. Other advertisers step into their place.

"And frankly, if there's a modest revenue decline, it's worth it. If in exchange there is a decline in underage drinking, it's a trade any college president would make."

The mtn., the television network of the Mountain West Conference, does not carry beer commercials, network vice president Kim Carver said.

"As a network, we want to act in a manner consistent with the values of the NCAA and the institutions in our conference," Carver said. "It hasn't come up. I don't think we would take beer advertising."

The mtn. has declined commercials for Viagra and similar products.

The Princeton Review last week named BYU the nation's top Stone-Cold Sober school for the 11th straight year, so it was no surprise that President Cecil O. Samuelson and athletic director Tom Holmoe signed a petition calling for sober broadcasts.

"Many have signed this letter and it's only natural BYU would be a part of this effort," BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins said. "It is, of course, a concern of ours and we're pleased to see it's a concern of many others as well."

BYU football coach Bronco Mendenhall hadn't seen the letter signed by football coaches such as Florida's Urban Meyer, Florida State's Bobby Bowden and Ohio State's Jim Tressel, and basketball coaches such as USU's Stew Morrill, Memphis' John Calipari and Kennesaw State's Tony Ingle, a former BYU coach.

"I think if it's a very clear display of morals, values, integrity and beliefs and it's a chance to stand up for those values and positively promote change, we need to do so," BYU's Mendenhall said. "I think President Samuelson is acting completely consistently with our faith and the direction of this institution and I'm honored he would do that and I'm anxious to be aligned and follow that lead."

USU President Stan Albrecht and athletic director Scott Barnes and SUU President Michael Benson and athletic director Ken Beazer also signed the letters. Some Big East schools decided to wait until conference meetings in November, the Tampa Tribune reported.

For more information on the Campaign for Alcohol-Free Sports TV, visit www.cspinet.org.

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E-mail: twalch@desnews.com