NEW YORK CITY -- When USATF’s Black Tie & Sneakers Gala takes place on Thursday, October 29, NBC Sports’ Dan Hicks will emcee the first-time fundraiser at the hallowed Armory Track & Field Center in New York City’s Washington Heights neighborhood.
One of the most respected voices in sports broadcasting, Hicks is entrusted to host some of NBC Sports’ most prestigious events and properties, including its extensive golf coverage, Olympic swimming and skiing, and Notre Dame Football.
Hicks is a veteran of 10 Olympic broadcasts, dating back to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, and has served as a swimming play-by-play commentator for the past five Summer Olympics. Hicks is a veteran of four Winter Olympic Games, most recently serving as the alpine skiing play-by-play announcer at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
Working alongside acclaimed analyst Johnny Miller in the 18th hole tower, Hicks is in his 15th season anchoring NBC Sports’ award-winning coverage of the PGA TOUR, – which includes THE PLAYERS, the FedExCup Playoffs highlighted by The TOUR Championship, the Ryder Cup, President’s Cup, and, beginning in 2016, The Open Championship (British Open).. Since 2013, Hicks has served as NBC Sports’ lead play-by-play commentator for the network’s Notre Dame Football coverage.
The Black Tie & Sneakers Gala showcases the 2015 USATF Hall of Fame class while paying tribute to Joan Benoit Samuelson and Michael Johnson, who will receive Legacy Awards, and NBC Sports executive Peter Diamond, who will be presented with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award. Proceeds from the Black Tie & Sneakers Gala go to the USATF Elite Athlete Mentorship Program. A new USATF initiative, the Mentorship Program connects USATF elite athletes with business executives, former athletes and career coaches to prepare them for success after their athletic careers conclude. A very limited number of tickets are still available. For more information on the Black Tie & Sneakers Gala, including where to purchase tickets, please visit usatfgala.com.
Legendary athletes, business executives, current USATF stars and celebrities from sports and entertainment will be on hand for the first-of-its-kind event. The evening includes an opening reception, dinner, the USATF Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and after party. Guests will walk the red carpet in black ties and sneakers, giving the night a USATF twist on athletic elegance and excellence.
Home to the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, the Armory houses decades of track and field history. Memorabilia from countless athletes and Olympic Games don the 15,000-square foot space and includes the Hall Gallery, a 40-foot-long etched glass Wall of Fame that immortalizes the Inductees.