Sports & Entertainment Executive Acquires New Smyrna Gnarlies

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FL - October 20, 2026 - Sports and entertainment executive Ty Stover has acquired the New Smyrna Gnarlies, ushering in a new era for the summer collegiate baseball franchise and bringing a renewed focus on community engagement, fan experience, and long-term growth.

Stover brings more than 15 years of experience across sports, entertainment, and gaming, having worked alongside leading sports properties, brands, and professional athletes throughout his career.

Under Stover's ownership, the Gnarlies will continue to call New Smyrna Beach home, hosting 20 home games across June and July, with plans to build the franchise into a summer destination for local families, businesses, and visitors to the area.

“The opportunity to have ownership in a sports franchise has been a goal of mine for a long time, but what made this particularly exciting was that it was here in New Smyrna Beach.” Stover said. “This is an incredible community with a personality all its own, and a place I now call home. The Gnarlies have a solid foundation, so my job now is creating something exciting that the community is genuinely proud to call its own.”

Stover's plans for the organization extend beyond the product on the field. Ahead of the 2027 season, the Gnarlies will focus on enhancing the overall fan experience at the New Smyrna Beach Sports Complex, exploring long-term improvements to the ballpark and fan amenities in collaboration with city leaders, focusing on creating a game-day atmosphere designed to make Gnarlies baseball a signature part of summer in New Smyrna Beach.

“I don't want people to think of the Gnarlies as simply a baseball team that plays here for a couple of months,” Stover said. “I want this to become part of the fabric of New Smyrna Beach. A place where families spend a summer night, local businesses bring employees and customers, kids get excited about baseball, and visitors get to experience another piece of what makes this town special.”

The acquisition represents a new chapter for Stover, whose career has largely been spent helping build brands, partnerships, and the careers of athletes. As an owner, he intends to apply that experience directly to growing the Gnarlies while maintaining the local character of the organization.

That process has already begun. Stover recently joined the Southeast Volusia Chamber of Commerce as a Trustee Member on behalf of the Gnarlies and has begun meeting with local leaders and businesses as the organization prepares for the 2027 season.

The team will share additional announcements in the coming months regarding the 2027 season, partnerships, uniforms, fan experiences, and other organizational initiatives.

About the New Smyrna Beach Gnarlies

The New Smyrna Gnarlies are a summer wooden bat collegiate baseball franchise based in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The Gnarlies provide collegiate athletes an opportunity to compete during the summer while bringing live baseball and family entertainment to the New Smyrna Beach community.

The Gnarlies play their home games at the New Smyrna Beach Sports Complex and are a part of the Orange State League.

About Ty Stover

Ty Stover is a sports and entertainment executive and sports agent with more than 15 years of experience spanning sports marketing, athlete and talent partnerships, gaming, sponsorship, brand strategy, and live events. Throughout his career, Stover has worked with prominent sports organizations like EA SPORTS and athletes like Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, Tom Brady, and Patrick Mahomes.

Ty will be documenting his ownership and franchise decisions on his social media channels - instagram.com/athleteguyty as well as X, YouTube, and TikTok - @athleteguyty

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