Dan Hicks, Longtime Voice of NBC Sports, Dies at 64

Dan Hicks, the sportscaster who long served as the voice of NBC Sports, died on Wednesday, November 11, in Connecticut. He was 64. His wife, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, announced the death, and Deadline reported that he died of an acute illness, meaning one that comes on suddenly and is severe.

Hicks spent 35 years at NBC Sports. He joined the network in 1992, after three years at CNN. Over those decades he became one of the most recognisable voices in American sports broadcasting, guiding viewers through events in a range of sports.

At NBC he was the lead announcer for golf. The lead announcer is the main commentator on a broadcast, the one who sets the scene, names the players and explains what is happening on screen. He also called swimming and skiing at the Olympics, and he announced Notre Dame football. Those assignments meant that millions of viewers across different seasons and sports came to know his voice.

Away from the microphone, Hicks was married for more than 30 years. He and Storm had three daughters. Storm is a familiar face to sports fans in her own right, and her announcement of her husband's death was the first public word on his passing.

Broadcasting is often a job of long hours and constant travel. Announcers prepare for weeks before a single event, learning names, records and storylines so they can speak clearly when the action starts. Hicks's work across golf, the Olympics and college football was built on that kind of preparation, and it is part of why his voice became so familiar to people who never met him.

Tributes from colleagues and fans are likely to follow in the coming days. For now, the news is simple. A familiar voice from NBC Sports is gone, and his family is grieving.