TL;DR
Dan Hicks, a longtime NBC Sports broadcaster, died at 64 following an acute illness, his wife, ESPN broadcaster Hannah Storm, announced Thursday. Hicks spent 34 years at NBC Sports and called major golf events, Notre Dame football and 16 Olympic Games.
Dan Hicks, the longtime NBC Sports play-by-play announcer whose work included major golf tournaments, Notre Dame football and 16 Olympic Games, has died at 64 following an acute illness, his wife, ESPN broadcaster Hannah Storm, announced Thursday. Storm described his death as sudden and unexpected.
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Storm announced the death in a post on X, saying the family was heartbroken. She described Hicks as her husband of more than 30 years, a loving father to their three daughters and a cherished friend. The announcement did not identify the illness or provide further medical details.
Hicks joined NBC Sports in 1992 and served as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer for PGA Tour coverage beginning in 2000. His golf assignments included the U.S. Open, The Open Championship, Ryder Cup, Presidents Cup and U.S. Women’s Open. He also called Notre Dame football for NBC, including a return to the role beginning in 2024 after previously covering the team from 2013 to 2016.
Across his career, Hicks covered 16 Olympic Games, serving as a play-by-play announcer at 15 of them. His Olympic work began at the 1992 Barcelona Games; most recently, he called alpine skiing for NBC at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. NBC said he won a Sports Emmy for his work on its coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
A Familiar Voice Across Major Sports
Hicks’ death marks the loss of a broadcaster whose assignments spanned several of NBC’s highest-profile sports properties. Viewers encountered his work over decades of golf coverage, Olympic broadcasts and college football, giving his career a reach beyond any single sport or event.
His role also connected him to athletes, colleagues and audiences across generations. Tiger Woods, a 15-time major winner, said Hicks was a friend on and off the course and praised his work for golf. NBC Sports leaders described him as a storyteller who called major moments and supported colleagues behind the scenes. Those tributes point to both his public role and the personal loss felt by his family and broadcasting community.
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Three Decades at NBC Sports
Hicks began his broadcasting career at CNN as a sports anchor in 1989, before joining NBC Sports three years later. Over 34 years with the network, his work ranged from Olympic competition to golf and football. He was a Tucson, Arizona, native.
His Olympic career started at Barcelona in 1992, the same year he joined NBC. In golf, he became the network’s lead PGA Tour play-by-play announcer in 2000. For Notre Dame football, he called games from 2013 through 2016 and resumed the assignment in 2024. The source report also described the 2024 season as his seventh season calling the Fighting Irish, reflecting his earlier work with the team.
“We are deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Dan Hicks, a respected voice in sports broadcasting and husband of ESPN anchor Hannah Storm.”
— Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN chairman
Cause of Illness Not Disclosed
Storm said Hicks died following an acute illness and called the death sudden and unexpected. She did not disclose the condition, when it began or whether he had been receiving treatment. The available announcement also does not give a specific time or place of death.
No further details about funeral arrangements or memorial plans were included in the report. Those details may be shared by the family later, but no announcement is confirmed in the source material.
Family and Colleagues Remember Hicks
For now, the confirmed response has been expressions of condolence from ESPN, NBC Sports and figures in golf, including Woods. NBC Sports leaders said their thoughts were with Storm, their daughters and Hicks’ colleagues. Storm’s announcement identified their daughters as Hannah, Ellery and Riley.
The next public updates may come from the family or NBC Sports, particularly about memorial plans or any additional information they choose to share about his illness. Until then, the circumstances beyond Storm’s description of an acute illness remain undisclosed.
Key Questions
How old was Dan Hicks when he died?
Hicks was 64, according to the report announcing his death.
What was the cause of Dan Hicks’ death?
His wife, Hannah Storm, said he died following an acute illness. She did not disclose a diagnosis or further medical details.
Who was Dan Hicks’ wife?
Hicks was married to Hannah Storm, an ESPN broadcaster. Storm said they had been married for more than 30 years.
What sports did Dan Hicks cover?
Hicks called major golf events, including the U.S. Open and Ryder Cup, as well as Notre Dame football and Olympic sports. He covered 16 Olympics, 15 as a play-by-play announcer.
How long did Dan Hicks work for NBC Sports?
Hicks joined NBC Sports in 1992 and worked there for 34 years, according to statements from NBC Sports leaders.
Source: espn.com
