U.S. SENATORS LEAD ANTITRUST INQUIRY INTO BOWL ALLIANCE

          Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT), Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY),
     Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), and Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY) have
     asked the Dept. of Justice and the FTC to launch an inquiry
     into possible antitrust violations by the NCAA College Bowl
     Alliance citing "substantial evidence of serious violations,"
     according to Brooke Adams of the DESERET NEWS.  Bennett: "The
     Alliance's anti-competitive attitude benefits only those
     teams and conferences that make up the most lucrative bowl
     market.  This means that talented players and better teams
     are denied the chance to play only because they do not meet
     the Alliance's marketing criteria."  BYU was not invited to
     play in a '97 Alliance Bowl despite a No. 5 ranking.  The
     Univ. of Wyoming also met criteria for an "at-large" spot,
     but was not invited to any bowl game (DESERET NEWS, 3/15).