Tom Hicks, the Texas billionaire who owned Liverpool FC and several US sports teams, has died at the age of 79, his company has announced. Hicks died surrounded by his family in Dallas on Saturday, according to a statement from Hicks Holdings LLC.
The American businessman owned the NHL’s Dallas Stars from 1995 to 2011, with the team winning the Stanley Cup in 1999. He also owned MLB’s Texas Rangers from 1998 to 2010, and the club reached the World Series in his final year with the team.
Hicks’s tenure at Liverpool was far more turbulent. He bought a 50% stake in the club in 2007 alongside George Gillett, but the pair were unpopular with fans amid concerns over their leadership and finances. They were forced to sell the club to Fenway Sports Group in 2010, paving the way for Liverpool’s later success.
Liverpool paid tribute on Sunday, saying in a statement: “LFC sends its condolences to the Hicks family and Tom’s friends at this difficult time.” Jerry Jones, owner of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, called Hicks a “champion of sports” and praised his role in bringing the Stanley Cup to Dallas.
Hicks is survived by his wife of 35 years, Cinda Cree Hicks, six children and 14 grandchildren. His family said that of all his achievements, his “most cherished title was ‘Dad’.”
