THE HUB PASSES ON ALL THE HOOPLA FOR '04 NBA ALL-STAR GAME

          The city of Boston has "blown off hosting" the 2004 NBA
     All-Star Game "because the clock ran out before they could
     net" the $2M needed "to get into the game," according to Fee
     & Raposa of the BOSTON HERALD, who wrote that the Celtics
     "hadn't figured out a way to host the game and not tick off
     their season ticket holders who would be shut out of All-
     Star Game tickets."  Celtics Exec VP/Marketing & Sales
     Stuart Layne: "All of us involved really have to take a
     harder look at how we are going to pay for the game and we
     needed more time to work out the best competitive bid.  It
     cost the Red Sox close to $2 million to bring the All-Star
     Game here last summer."  Execs "will continue to huddle"
     about hosting the game in 2006 or 2007 (BOS. HERALD, 9/16).