Legendary NBC Sports broadcaster Dan Hicks died at 64 on Wednesday after battling an acute illness. An exact cause of death has not been revealed.
The Tucson, Arizona native was best known for calling the action at the Olympics, on the PGA Tour and at Notre Dame football games. He also worked NFL games for NBC between 1992 and 1998.
Hicks’ wife, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, has shared a statement on behalf of herself and their three daughters: Hannah, Ellery, and Riley.
‘Our family is heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected passing of Dan following an acute illness,’ Storm said in a statement Thursday. ‘He was a devoted husband of over 30 years, loving father to our three daughters, and cherished friend to so many. His loss is immeasurable.
‘Dan was truly one of a kind and, quite simply, the person everyone wanted to be around. When he walked into a room, he brought the energy, the laughter and the people together. He was endlessly kind, thoughtful and funny, and he made everyone feel like they mattered.
‘Our three daughters and I are heartbroken. We are grateful for the love and support surrounding our family during this incredibly difficult time. There are simply no words to express how much he will be missed.’
Dan Hicks passed away this week from an acute illness. The veteran NBC announcer was 64
Hicks’ wife, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, has shared a statement on behalf of herself and the three daughters she shared with her husband: Hannah Hicks, Ellery, and Riley
Hannah Storm and Dan Hicks met in the late 1980s when they were both working at CNN
Tiger Woods (right) is interviewed by NBC’s Dan Hicks (left) after winning the TOUR Championship on September 23, 2018, at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta
Hicks’ biggest moments on the mic included the US swim team’s comeback at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Tiger Woods’ dramatic putt to force a playoff at the 2008 US Open.
NBC Sports executives Rick Cordella, Sam Flood and Molly Solomon have also released their own statement on Hicks’ impact.
‘Dan Hicks was an extraordinary colleague, friend and person,’ the statement began. ‘In his 34 years at NBC sports, he was an exceptional storyteller and caller of games and events who elevated some of the biggest moments in sports history.
‘From Olympic swimming and skiing to Notre Dame football, numerous other high profile events and especially as the signature voice of our golf coverage for the last 26 years, Dan’s blend of knowledge, style, enthusiasm and humor informed and entertained fans for decades.
Dan Hicks of NBC Sports (C) speaks with former Ryder Cup captains Jack Nicklaus (L) and Tony Jacklin (R) during the opening ceremony for the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club
Storm and Hicks were married in 1994 and had three daughters: Hannah, Riley and Ellery
‘But far beyond his on-air excellence, Dan was a better person who welcomed teammates with a smile, a joke, or a word of encouragement, sometimes all three in the same sentence.
‘Our heartfelt condolences and love to his wife Hannah and his daughters Hannah, Ellery and Riley.’
After growing up in Tucson, Hicks remained in the area by enrolling at the University of Arizona, where he began doing radio. Later, he became a weekend anchor at Tucson’s KVOA before working as a sports reporter for upstart cable network, CNN, in 1989.
It was while working for CNN in Atlanta that Hicks met his future wife, Storm, whom he married in 1994.
After growing up in Tucson, Hicks remained in the area by enrolling at the University of Arizona, where he began doing radio. Later, he became a weekend anchor at Tucson’s KVOA before working as a sports reporter for upstart cable network, CNN, in 1989.
It was while working for CNN in Atlanta that Hicks met his future wife, Storm, whom he married in 1994. The two shared a home together in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Brian Rolapp, CEO of the PGA TOUR is interviewed by NBC Sports anchor Dan Hicks during the third round of THE PLAYERS Championship at Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 14
While Storm was becoming a staple of NBA coverage at NBC, Hicks joined the network, where he’d go on to work top golf majors, NFL playoff games and Notre Dame football. Coincidentally, Storm happens to be an alum of the South Bend, Indiana school.
‘My favorite call of his was the 4x100m Freestyle Relay comeback at 2008 Beijing Olympics,’ one fan wrote on X, adding: ‘incredible call on an incredible moment.’
‘Dan Hicks was as soothing as a sports-event host could be,’ another fan wrote. ‘He was like golf itself: pastoral, convivial, inviting. Clear and unpretentious in his command. He always made a golf telecast better. This is tough, tough news.’
Former NBC Universal executive Mark Lazarus released his own statement on Hicks’ passing.
‘I am heartbroken by the sudden loss of our friend Dan Hicks,’ read Lazarus’s statement. ‘For decades, I had the privilege of working alongside Dan, but our friendship extended far beyond NBC Sports. Dan was one of the very best at what he did, but what I will remember most is the person he was: a loyal friend and a devoted husband and father. My family and I are thinking of Hannah, their children and the entire Hicks family. We will miss him.’
