Colleagues are reflecting on the contributions of longtime engineer for the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys Radio Network, Ted Nichols-Payne after he collapsed and died outside of Globe Life Field Sunday night and what this loss means in the world of sports. Candace Sweat has the story.
Ted Nichols-Payne, the Texas Rangers' radio network engineer for nearly 30 years, collapsed in the parking lot of Globe Life Field before Sunday's game against Minnesota and died at a hospital. He was 56.
Nichols-Payne worked in Dallas for 31 years at the company now called Audacy and formerly CBS Radio. He was the primary engineer and technical director on Rangers' radio broadcasts from 1995-2010, first on KRLD-AM and then on 105.3 The FAN. He resumed that role when the Rangers' English radio rights returned to 105.3 in 2015.
"Ted's dedication and attention to detail made him an expert engineer who provided an outstanding technical quality to our broadcasts," Rangers spokesman John Blake said.
On Sunday, colleagues reflected on the contributions of Nichols-Payne and what this loss means in the world of sports.
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“When you work with people for decades, the cease to be colleagues. They become family,” Brad Sham said.
Sham is a play-by-play announcer for Dallas Cowboys Radio Network, known as the “voice of the Dallas Cowboys.” Over several decades, he’d formed a bond with Nichols-Payne, and said his work was impeccable.
“He was better at his job than I am at my job,” said Sham. “The generosity of his spirit was such that he really took personally everything that you heard on the radio.”
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It’s why the news of his death hurts so much. Sham said his impact as a teammate can’t be overstated.
“For the people doing that work, we’re going to have to do a little better,” he said. “We’re going to have to work a little harder, because one of the most important teammates that made our efforts successful, he’s not there anymore and we’re going to have to take up the slack.”
