Exeter Chiefs CEO Tony Rowe insists sale to AFC Bournemouth owners 'not done' but stresses need for investment 'very important'
Published 08/05/2026 at 14:16 GMT+1
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Exeter Chiefs CEO Tony Rowe insisted that ”the deal is not done” to sell the Gallagher PREM outfit to an American consortium but stressed the need for investment was ”very important.”
Highlights: Chiefs put Newcastle to the sword with bonus point win at Kingston Park
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On Thursday night, Exeter Chiefs voted "to permit the sale" of the club to Black Knight Sports and Entertainment, the owners of Premier League club AFC Bournemouth.
Black Knight are now carrying out a 60-day due diligence process.
”We’ve had an offer,” Rowe confirmed to TNT Sports. ”Members have accepted the offer, but I’ve got to go back now. We’ve still got to refine it.
”Until the deal is done, the deal is not done.
”It’s an American company and, I must say, when we started to look for investors, I thought the money would come from the Middle East. I think it’s the World Cup. The 2031 World Cup is in America.”
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His investment paved the way for a move to Sandy Park in 2006 and helped the club rise to the top flight, where they eventually won two Premiership titles and lifted the 2020 European Champions Cup.
However, Exeter have struggled financially since the Covid-19 pandemic, with much of their international talent having been moved on as a means of cutting the wage bill.
”We hopefully can tie up with good sporting people, long term investors,” Rowe continued. ”We all know we’re going to franchise in 2030 but each of the clubs have got to spend a bit of money.”
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On the prospect of receiving the investment, Rowe added: ”It’s very important. Rugby Union in the UK at the moment is fantastic.
”The skills of the young guys now in the sport are incredible. It hasn’t been better. But to keep the club alive we need money, we need to invest in our sport.
”When it was a community club in 1998 when I came along to it, it had no money.
”It was desperate for some cash, and [director of rugby] Rob [Baxter] - both of us - tried to hang on to the traditions, to the culture, so that when people come here it still feels like a rugby club.”
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