MOLSON DEFENDS ITSELF FROM LABATT'S AMBUSH; GETS ALS DEAL

          Labatt Brewery "won't renew" its title sponsorship of
     the CFL Montreal Alouettes for the '99 season, according to
     Herb Zurkowsky of the Montreal GAZETTE.  Labatt
     Communications Manager Isabelle Lavoie said that the
     company, which had sponsored the Als for two seasons, "was
     prepared to enter into a five-year agreement," but the team
     was "seeking too much money."  Lavoie: "Their request was
     too high.  Maybe our competition (Molson) was behind that. 
     For Molson, it was irritating for us to be there."  As part
     of the partnership, a Labatt ad was "prominently displayed"
     on the turf of Molson Stadium, the team's home.  Zurkowsky
     writes that the team is "expected" to name Molson as its new
     title sponsor today at a press conference (GAZETTE, 12/18).