Exeter Chiefs Approve Black Knight Takeover Talks
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- Exeter Chiefs shareholders voted to permit a sale of the club to Cannae Holdings Inc's Black Knight Sports and Entertainment.
- Tony Rowe, Exeter chairman, clarified the vote is a non‑binding expression of interest, not a firm offer.
- Black Knight Sports, which bought Bournemouth in Dec 2022, will conduct a 60‑day due‑diligence period ending after the end of May.
- Black Knight Sports also holds stakes in FC Lorient (France) and Auckland FC (New Zealand).
- Exeter Chiefs are being positioned as the third Premiership Rugby club to receive major investment, after Newcastle (Red Bull) and Bath (Sir James Dyson).
Why it matters: Exeter Chiefs will undergo a 60‑day due‑diligence process after May, after which any offer will be negotiated, delivering new investment resources and a cash‑out for shareholders, reshaping the Premiership’s ownership landscape.
