Ted Nichols-Payne collapsed outside of Globe Life Field in Arlington after Sunday’s game. He was pronounced dead at a hospital later that day.
He served as the broadcast engineer for the Texas Rangers for nearly 30 years. His death drew reactions not just from sports media in the Dallas Metroplex, but from across the state of Texas. Everyone had fond memories and high praise for Nichols-Payne.
”We are devastated at what happened here today, Rangers radio voice Matt Hicks said on air, “and we just want people that were in Ted’s family and those that knew and loved Ted to know how much we are hurting right now and how much we wish for all of you that knew him and loved him a sense of peace to come when you think about Ted and all he meant to all of those that he knew.”
“I listen to broadcasts around the league,” said Rangers broadcaster Jared Sandler as he fought back tears. “There is no better engineer than Ted Nichols-Payne.”
Shan Shariff remembered Ted Nichols-Payne on 105.3 The Fan on Monday morning. He said that Ted was actually not a big sports fan. His one obsession was cycling. What kept him working on Rangers and Cowboys broadcasts was his love of radio. It is something that was valuable to the industry beyond just the Audacy stations he worked for.
“When we get to Oxnard for the State of the Cowboys presser, you should see every radio station rely on Ted. The Ticket, everyone, uses Ted to get Mike McCarthy’s presser daily. Did it for J-Geezy, same for Jerry and Steven and everyone that is going to talk. He was the engineer for the Metroplex.”
More colleagues took to social media to share their thoughts and memories of Ted Nichols-Payne.
The two teams that Nichols-Payne worked for also sent out messages of condolence.
Ted Nichols-Payne was 56 years old.
