[no subject]

By snagging Bird to run the team's basketball operations, the
prospective new owners could very well unleash a tidal wave of investor
interest by sports crazed corporate heavyweights, predicted Lyman
Bullard, a Boston sports industry lawyer.

``It seems like these guys will bring some passion and emotion and
re-energize the team,'' Bullard said.

However, the prospective new owners should be able to close the deal
with the money they have on hand, whether or not they bring other
partners into the fold, sources said.

By bring in additional investment capital, the new owners may be looking
to simply reduce their own exposure and decrease the amount of debt they
will have to take on to finally close the deal. That's not unheard of.

Henry, as he scrambled to close his record $700 million Sox deal,
eventually cobbled together a small army of close to 20 different
investors, including several with local ties.

Bullard said the capital raising combination of two high-powered Hub
venture capitalists and Bird could be formidable.

Steve Bulpett contributed to this report.