When Lindbergh was put under contract to the American Harpers Bazaar by Liz Tilberis in 1992, she made her editor sign a seven-figure check.

Companies now have little incentive to give to the 527 committees, which are still able to collect six- and seven-figure checks.

The companies are writing seven-figure checks to local civic host committees.

The rationale seemed to be that the $5.647 million prize pool was deep enough to award a television-ready seven-figure check to the winner and still send 130 players home fairly happy.

However, donors continued to direct six- and seven-figure checks to 527 committees, which argued that they could still legally accept unlimited soft money contributions.

National political parties raised more than $1 billion, 12 percent more than when they were able to gather six- and seven-figure soft-money checks.

There were six-figure checks, and once a seven-figure check.

A missed shot here or there could be the difference between taking home a seven-figure check and finishing in the middle of the pack.

Mr. Stern said he was not used to writing a seven-figure check to a cause he had not had time to research himself.

Democratic 527 groups, which had a head start raising money and have been operating months longer than their Republican rivals, also continued to collect seven-figure checks.