mens
Gallagher-Prime Minister
Exeter Chiefs Boss Rob Baxter points out that the new owners of Black Knight Entertainment have not just come to Sandy Park with an empty checkbook, but expect the club to return to a well-run and profitable business.
Baxter says Bill Foley’s summer investment in the club has lifted the financial burden on the club, which was once the most profitable club in Gallagher Prem before the pandemic destroyed its finances.
And it allowed Baxter to increase his playing budget and strengthen the squad, which lost the Prem Final to Northampton Saints last season, with so many other clubs doing the same. The timing couldn’t have been better.
The Black Knight, who owns soccer clubs and ice hockey franchises, expects a comeback in all areas, both on and off the field, and will run the club as a business, not just a loss-making vanity project.
“Of course, the arrival of the Black Knight means that the current financial tension has been removed. Those regular board meetings about how we keep the cash flowing to keep the business ticking in a positive way are very quickly alleviated.”
“There were a few areas that we could invest in. Some things around some medical equipment and some basic equipment around the place that is very, very expensive.
“You don’t necessarily need it, but it makes a big difference in the long run. At the same time, people have to be aware that the Black Knight didn’t just come to throw money at something just to see if some of it sticks and creates a win.”
“They’re a business, and they’re going to run it like a business. It was a well-run, profitable business before COVID. And that’s what they want to bring it back to. We’ve got to be a part of that in terms of how we play, get the crowd and build the business like it used to be.”
