Tom Hicks, a notable figure in both the business and sports arenas, has died at the age of 79. Hicks, who owned the NHL’s Dallas Stars and MLB’s Texas Rangers, passed away on March 15, 2025, leaving behind a legacy marked by significant achievements in sports ownership and private equity.
Hicks owned the Dallas Stars from 1995 until 2011, during which the team secured the Stanley Cup in 1999. His tenure with the Texas Rangers lasted from 1998 to 2010, leading the franchise to three American League West Division titles and one World Series appearance. In 2007, he acquired a 50% stake in the English Premier League club Liverpool FC, further expanding his influence in the world of sports.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed his condolences, stating, “Being shoulder to shoulder with him was always about more than ballparks and stadiums, though. It was about personal respect, trust and friendship.” Jones emphasized the deep bond they shared, reflecting on the miles traveled together throughout their careers.
Hicks co-founded the private equity firm Hicks & Haas in 1984 and later established Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst in 1989. His work reshaped investment strategies in the private equity sector, earning him recognition as an innovative businessman. Fellow Texas entrepreneur and real estate magnate Ross Perot Jr. noted, “Tom Hicks was an innovative businessman and a pioneer in private equity. He combined his commitment to business and sports through his ownership of the Stars and the Rangers.”
Before his ventures in business and sports, Hicks served as a paratrooper in the Army Reserves. He also held a significant role as the Commissioner of the American Battle Monuments Commission and was a member of the University of Texas’s Board of Regents from 1994 to 1999.
Hicks is survived by his wife of 35 years, Cinda Cree Hicks, and six children: Thomas Ollis Hicks Jr., Mack Hardin Hicks, John Alexander Hicks, Robert Bradley Hicks, William Cree Hicks, and Catherine Forgrave Hicks. In a heartfelt statement, his family shared, “Of everything he accomplished in his remarkable life, Tom Hicks’s most cherished title was, ‘Dad.’ No matter the trials and tribulations he faced in life, he was constant in his generosity and love for his family.”
As tributes pour in from colleagues, friends, and family, the impact Tom Hicks had on the sports world and private equity will be remembered for years to come. His commitment to both business and family remains a guiding force for those he leaves behind.
