Black Knight takeover puts Exeter Chiefs on spending spree footing, Rowe warns rivals

Exeter Chiefs CEO Tony Rowe has issued a direct warning to the rest of the Gallagher Premiership: the club’s prospective new owners, Black Knight, are ready to spend, and the takeover could be finalised as early as next month.

Black Knight is the investment vehicle of American billionaire Bill Foley, who also owns Premier League side AFC Bournemouth and NHL franchise the Vegas Golden Knights. Rowe told BBC Radio Devon that Foley’s group has made clear it expects results on the pitch and is prepared to back that ambition financially.

“They’ve said to me, and they said to Rob, that they don’t want us to change anything, and so I’m not going to change anything,” Rowe said. “They want success, and I think we can give them that.”

Rowe pointed to Foley’s track record at Bournemouth — where Black Knight has invested heavily over three to four years and continues to do so — as a template for what Exeter can expect. Director of rugby Rob Baxter is set to remain in his role, with Rowe staying on to run the business side.

“We’ve got a new investor who appears to have a big chequebook,” Rowe added. “My job is to make sure I run the business properly, Rob’s job is to make sure he gets results on the pitch, and then their job would be to supply the money.”

Rowe also flagged infrastructure improvements at Sandy Park as an early priority for the new ownership group, with the broader context of the Premiership’s planned move to a franchise model in 2030 shaping the club’s medium-term strategy.

“We know down the line we’re going to go franchise — 2030’s the idea that Prem Rugby goes franchise,” he said. “Well, between now and then, we’re going to spend some money, we’re going to sort out a few issues at Sandy Park, and that means money.”

Exeter currently sit fourth in the Premiership and face Bath away in a derby fixture this weekend, with the takeover timeline adding fresh intrigue to what is already a pivotal end to the season for the club.