The Greater Orlando and golf communities are mourning the death of Ashley Foss, a 42-year-old marketing professional whose career included leadership roles with GolfNow for Business, the Lakeland Magic, Wasserman and JET Sports Management. Foss died on Thursday, August 27, 2026, and her passing drew national attention after Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale dedicated an extraordinary performance against the Los Angeles Dodgers to his longtime family friend. Sale said Foss had been a devoted Braves fan and had been “battling for the longest time.” However, neither MLB nor other authoritative reports have publicly identified a specific illness or confirmed an official cause of death.
Ashley Foss, 42, a Greater Orlando marketing executive and Senior B2B Marketing Manager with GolfNow for Business, died on August 27, 2026. She previously worked with the Lakeland Magic, JET Sports Management and Wasserman. Braves pitcher Chris Sale, a longtime family friend, publicly mourned her death and dedicated his complete-game shutout against the Dodgers to her. Her specific cause of death has not been officially disclosed.
Ashley Foss Dies at Age 42
News of the Ashley Foss obituary reached a much wider audience after Chris Sale spoke about her following the Atlanta Braves’ 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.
Sale said he learned before the game that Foss had died.
The Braves ace explained that Ashley’s family had been close to his own for nearly two decades and that her father had handled financial matters connected with his career.
“She was a huge Braves fan,” Sale said after the game, adding that he felt as though he had some additional help with him on the mound that evening.
Sale’s comments offered one of the clearest public confirmations of Foss’s death and showed the close relationship between the families.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Ashley Foss |
| Age | 42 |
| Area | Greater Orlando / Lakeland, Florida |
| Date of death | August 27, 2026 |
| Profession | Senior marketing manager |
| Employer | GolfNow for Business |
| Education | University of Central Florida |
| Former roles | Lakeland Magic, JET Sports Management, Wasserman |
| Cause of death | Not specifically disclosed |
| Notable tribute | Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale |
Who Was Ashley Foss?
Ashley Foss was a marketing and communications professional whose career was closely connected to sports, golf and client services.
At the time of her death, her professional profile listed her as B2B Senior Marketing Manager for GolfNow for Business in Greater Orlando. She had been with the organisation since March 2023, initially working as B2B Marketing Manager before moving into the senior role in November 2024.
Her career history reflected years of experience in sports business and marketing.
Before GolfNow, Ashley served as Director of Client Services at Wasserman from July 2022 until March 2023.
She previously held the same title with JET Sports Management between February 2020 and July 2022.
Ashley Foss Worked With the Lakeland Magic
One of the longest sports-related chapters of Ashley’s professional career came with the Lakeland Magic, the NBA G League organisation formerly associated with the Orlando Magic.
From May 2017 until February 2020, she served as Director of Marketing and Communications for the Lakeland Magic.
The position placed her at the centre of communications, marketing and community engagement for a professional basketball organisation.
Before joining the Lakeland Magic, Ashley worked with the Lakeland Economic Development Council as YLakeland Marketing Director.
Those roles gave her strong professional ties to both Lakeland and Greater Orlando and help explain why news of her death resonated across Florida’s sports and business communities.
Career at GolfNow for Business
In more recent years, Ashley’s career moved into the golf industry.
She joined GolfNow for Business in 2023 and advanced to the senior B2B marketing manager position the following year.
GolfNow for Business operates from Orlando and provides technology and marketing solutions to golf-course operators. The company’s public professional profile continues to list Ashley among its employees.
Her role brought together several areas in which she had developed significant experience: marketing, communications, client relationships and sports.
That professional connection also appears to have made Ashley familiar to people throughout the American golf community.
A social-media tribute shared after her death described her as someone who would be missed by golf fans in the United States and abroad.
University of Central Florida Graduate
Ashley Foss studied business and marketing at the University of Central Florida between 2002 and 2006.
That educational background became the foundation of a career spanning approximately two decades.
Her subsequent work moved through economic development, professional basketball, athlete and client management, and eventually the golf industry.
The variety of those positions illustrates a career consistently centred on connecting organisations, clients and audiences.
Chris Sale Mourns Longtime Friend Ashley Foss
Perhaps the most visible tribute to Ashley came from Chris Sale.
Following her death, Sale produced one of his strongest performances of the 2026 season.
He threw a complete-game shutout as Atlanta defeated the Dodgers 1-0. Sale struck out 11 batters, allowed five hits and did not issue a walk.
But after the game, his thoughts were not primarily about the statistics.
Sale revealed that he had learned of Ashley’s death before taking the mound.
He described Foss as a close family friend and said he had been communicating with her family that day.
Sale also explained that the Foss family had been connected to him for almost 20 years, dating back to his Florida roots.
For a pitcher who had just completed one of the finest outings of his season, the emotional context made the performance even more meaningful.
Sale Says Ashley Was a Huge Braves Fan
Ashley was also a devoted Atlanta Braves supporter.
Sale said she regularly watched the team’s games.
That made what happened on the night of her death particularly poignant.
Sale told reporters that something about his performance felt different and suggested he felt Ashley’s presence while pitching.
The game included his first complete-game shutout since 2019 and some of his fastest pitches in years, including a fastball above 100 mph against Shohei Ohtani.
The Braves eventually completed their sweep of the Dodgers.
For Sale, however, the night became a tribute to a friend rather than simply another baseball accomplishment.
What Was Ashley Foss’s Cause of Death?
The Ashley Foss cause of death has not been specifically identified in authoritative public reporting.
Chris Sale said Ashley had been “battling for the longest time,” indicating that she had been dealing with a prolonged health struggle before her death.
However, Sale did not name the condition.
MLB’s official account likewise reported Ashley’s death and her relationship with the Sale family but did not state a cause.
Some newly published obituary websites have claimed that Ashley died after battling cancer. Those reports currently lack the same level of sourcing as MLB, AP or direct comments from Sale, so cancer should not yet be presented as an officially confirmed cause of death.
Unless the Foss family or another authoritative source provides further details, her cause of death is best described as not publicly disclosed.
Ashley Foss Remembered Across Sports Communities
Ashley’s career placed her at the intersection of several sports communities.
Basketball supporters may remember her from her years with the Lakeland Magic.
Sports-management professionals knew her through JET Sports Management and Wasserman.
Golf industry colleagues worked alongside her at GolfNow for Business.
And through her family’s longstanding relationship with Chris Sale, Ashley also developed a close connection with Major League Baseball.
Those different chapters help explain the breadth of the reaction to her passing.
She was not an athlete whose name appeared on a scoreboard, but her work behind the scenes placed her within organisations and relationships that helped professional sports operate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Ashley Foss?
Ashley Foss was a 42-year-old sports and marketing professional from the Greater Orlando area. She worked as B2B Senior Marketing Manager at GolfNow for Business and previously held positions with the Lakeland Magic, JET Sports Management, Wasserman and the Lakeland Economic Development Council.
What was Ashley Foss’s cause of death?
Ashley Foss’s specific cause of death has not been officially disclosed. Chris Sale said she had been dealing with a prolonged struggle before her death, but he did not identify the condition. Some online reports claim cancer, though authoritative confirmation has not yet been located.
How did Chris Sale know Ashley Foss?
Ashley Foss was a longtime family friend of Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale. Sale said he had known the Foss family for nearly two decades and that Ashley’s father had handled financial matters connected with his career. Sale honoured Ashley during his August 27 shutout against the Dodgers.
Conclusion
The Ashley Foss obituary remembers a 42-year-old professional whose career touched basketball, sports management, golf marketing and the broader Greater Orlando business community.
From her years directing marketing and communications for the Lakeland Magic to her more recent leadership position with GolfNow for Business, Ashley built a career around sports, relationships and communication.
Her death on August 27, 2026, was publicly confirmed in an especially emotional way when longtime family friend Chris Sale spoke about her following his complete-game shutout against the Dodgers.
Although her specific cause of death remains private, Sale’s words made clear how deeply Ashley was loved and how meaningful her friendship had been to his family. Her professional accomplishments and the relationships she built across Florida’s sports community form a lasting part of the legacy she leaves behind.