Dan Hicks, voice of NBC Sports for 34 years of memorable moments, dies at 64

Dan Hicks, the voice of many memorable NBC Sports events over the past 34 years, died Wednesday at age 64.

“Dan Hicks was an amazing colleague, friend and person,” said Rick of NBC Sports.
Cordella, Sam Flood and Molly Solomon said in a statement. “During his 34 years at NBC Sports, he was an exceptional storyteller and host of games and events that elevated some of the greatest moments in sports history. From Olympic swimming and skiing to Notre Dame football, many other high-profile events and especially as the iconic voice of our golf coverage over the past 26 years, Dan’s blend of knowledge, style, enthusiasm and humor has informed and entertained fans for decades. But far beyond his on-air excellence, Dan was a better person who greeted his teammates with a smile, a joke or a word of encouragement, sometimes all three in the same sentence. Our sincere condolences and love to his wife Hannah and his daughters Hannah, Ellery and Riley.

Hicks’ wife, longtime NBC Sports and then ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, job“Our family is heartbroken by the sudden and unexpected passing of Dan following an acute illness. He was a devoted husband of over 30 years, a loving father to our three daughters, and a 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 with. When he walked into a room, he brought together energy, laughter, and people. He was endlessly kind, caring. and funny, and he made everyone feel together. 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 we will miss him.

Hicks, who has been with the NBC Sports team since 1992, became golf’s leading voice in 2000 and has managed play-by-play at 15 Olympics, including a record eight in swimming and the last four in alpine skiing. This fall was his seventh season as the play-by-play voice of Notre Dame football. He has also called NBA and NFL games as well as the French Open.

Hicks’ memorable calls included Tiger Woods’ putt to send the 2008 U.S. Open into a playoff (“Are you expecting anything different?”) and, two months later, Michael Phelps’ eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. Hicks won all 28 of Phelps’ Olympic medals from 2004 to 2016.