‘He was a legend.’ Radio, sports world pays tribute to ‘The Ticket’ founder Mike Rhyner.
The Dallas-Fort Worth sports and media world flooded social media with warm wishes to Mike Rhyner, who announced his retirement from KTCK/1310 AM “The Ticket” on Monday.
Messages of appreciation came from the Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars and just about every sports journalist and radio personality in North Texas.
“Happy retirement to the legend,” the Stars posted on Twitter. “Mike Rhyner had an incredible career at [”The Ticket”] and helped form sports talk radio in DFW. Enjoy retirement, Rhyner!”
Rangers public relations executive John Blake congratulated Rhyner “on a fabulous run.”
Rhyner, who turns 70 in August, helped create “The Ticket,” which became the region’s first all-sports radio station when it went on the air in January 1994.
“His passion for the ‘great game’ has always been appreciated,” Blake wrote. “On behalf of the Rangers organization, I wish him the very best in his next chapter! Thank you, Mike.”
Dallas Mavericks television play-by-play voice Mark Followill thanked him for hiring him at the station at 22 years old.
“I’ve been so lucky to have two decades with the Mavs and other broadcast accomplishments that don’t happen without Mike taking a chance on a 22 [year] old who had a little something but was headstrong and argumentative,” Followill posted on Twitter.
Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman thanked him with a “heartfelt thank you.”
“Like many, my afternoons of listening to The Hardline won’t be the same,” Aikman said. “You’ve given us so many years of radio gold.”
Rangers Hall of Fame radio voice Eric Nadel congratulated Rhyner on the execution of his retirement announcement.
“Well done my friend! I’m not a fan of farewell tours and you managed to avoid one,” Nadel said.
Brad Sham, the voice of the Dallas Cowboys, said Rhyner helped change the radio landscape.
“You made your mark. Changed the market and the industry and never cut a corner,” Sham posted on Twitter. “Kudos to you, friend.”
This story was originally published January 6, 2020 at 6:58 PM.
