Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter has expressed mixed feelings about the end of merit-based promotion in Premiership rugby. Baxter, who led Exeter to promotion in 2010, acknowledges the need for clubs to have proper infrastructure before joining the top flight. Exeter invested heavily in Sandy Park to meet promotion requirements before their play-off victory over Bristol.

Since Exeter's promotion, only London Welsh has gained promotion from the Championship, moving to Oxford United's Kassam Stadium to meet the 10,000 spectator requirement. Current Championship winners Ealing and Jersey Reds have been unable to secure promotion due to inadequate facilities. Baxter emphasizes that these rules have existed for years and clubs knew the requirements.

The Premiership is moving toward a franchise-based model that Baxter believes will attract more investment by reducing relegation risks. He argues that potential investors are deterred by the possibility of losing significant revenue streams through relegation. While acknowledging there's no perfect solution, Baxter suggests the change was inevitable given Championship clubs' inability to meet promotion criteria under the current system.