Tom Hicks reshaped more than just the Rangers and Stars; he helped redefine North Texas and even left a mark on Major League Baseball that’s still felt today.
Long before the internet era, Hicks had daily copies of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Dallas Morning News delivered to his La Jolla home just so he could follow the latest in local sports.
A devoted owner who loved owning professional franchises and championed his alma mater’s football program at the University of Texas, Hicks passed away at 79 on a Dallas doorstep, leaving behind his wife Cinda and six children.
His financial fortunes shifted dramatically in the late 2000s, which effectively pulled him away from North Texas sports for about a decade and a half. Yet his tenure permanently altered the region’s trajectory and helped reset how big contracts are viewed in Major League Baseball.
Hicks’ influence in North Texas never reached Jerry Jones-level visibility, but he deserves a place in the conversation. An involved owner who never served as his teams’ general manager, Hicks was approachable and communal, bringing more visibility and economic vitality to the Rangers, Stars, and the surrounding ecosystem than any predecessor.
On a personal level, Hicks was friendly, decent, and generous, with a genuine love for talking sports. He made a lasting impact on me personally, and it’s painful to reflect that we hadn’t spoken in nearly two decades.
Hicks’ Rangers and Stars: a lasting legacy
A Port Arthur native, Hicks earned degrees from the University of Texas and USC, and he served in the Army reserves before starting an investment firm and eventually moving into real estate and professional sports.
He owned the Stars from 1995 to 2011 and the Rangers from June 1998 to August 2010. Hicks spearheaded the construction of the American Airlines Center and the development surrounding it. Under his ownership, the Rangers shifted spring training from Florida to Surprise, Arizona.
In addition to hockey and baseball, Hicks owned the Mesquite Rodeo and Liverpool F.C. of the English Premier League.
During his Stars tenure, the team captured its first Stanley Cup in 1999 and reached the Final again in 2000. He helped set the Rangers on a path toward a potential first World Series appearance, and his involvement with the University of Texas as a regent connected him to UT’s national football success in 2005, even as he explored recruiting strategies for a new head coach.
When Hicks bought the Rangers from a group led by a future U.S. president, Arlington had already become the team’s new home, and the club enjoyed a strong run with three American League West titles in 1996, 1998, and 1999, though playoff series against the New York Yankees did not go in their favor.
For the Stars, the impact was more immediate. Hicks championed the signing of free agent forward Brett Hull in 1998, a move that helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 1999, with Hull scoring the Cup-winning goal in 2000.
Yet Hicks’ boldest move in sports free agency widened his impact far beyond Texas. Intent on winning a World Series, he pursued baseball’s most coveted free agent, Seattle Mariners shortstop Alex Rodriguez, and signed A-Rod to a record 10-year, $252 million contract in the 2000 winter. The gamble did not pay off as hoped; the Rangers never won a World Series under that deal, and Hicks traded Rodriguez to New York after just three seasons.
By 2005, a strategic shift emerged. Hicks stepped back from chasing championships through free agency and instead invested in the farm system and drafting—an approach aimed at sustained, homegrown success. He brought in Jon Daniels in 2005, the youngest MLB general manager at the time, and later convinced Nolan Ryan to join as president in 2008, granting him final authority on baseball decisions.
With Daniels, Ryan, and manager Ron Washington at the helm, the Rangers built a competitive team that reached the World Series in 2010 and again in 2011.
Quiet departure from a dramatic era
As the Rangers became one of baseball’s better teams, Hicks’ own finances faltered. In May 2010, Hicks Sports Group filed for bankruptcy, forcing the sale of the Rangers, Stars, and Liverpool F.C. A joint statement from the Stars mourned the loss and credited Hicks with laying the groundwork for the franchise’s enduring success.
After selling, Hicks largely withdrew from public life, continuing to reside in Dallas. His tenure redefined not just two franchises but an entire region’s sports culture and business landscape.
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Mac Engel is an award-winning columnist who has covered Cowboys, Stars, Rangers, Mavericks, TCU, Olympics, movies, concerts, and books. He blends dry wit with on-the-ground reporting to complement a distinctive voice. Support his work with a digital subscription at star-telegram.com/subscribe.
