Exeter Chiefs shareholders have voted to allow takeover talks with the American owners of Premier League club Bournemouth. Members and shareholders gathered on Thursday and approved the sale of the club to Cannae Holdings Inc's Black Knight Sports and Entertainment, which completed its Bournemouth takeover in December 2022.

Chairman Tony Rowe stressed this represents only a non-binding expression of interest, not a firm offer. Any potential deal hinges on a 60-day due diligence process that won't wrap up before late May. Black Knight also hold a stake in French football club FC Lorient and own New Zealand side Auckland FC. The announcement comes days after rivals Cornish Pirates announced American firm Stonewood Capital Management as investors.

Exeter could become the third Premiership club receiving significant foreign investment in the past year, following Newcastle's takeover by Red Bull last August and billionaire Sir James Dyson's funding of Bath in March. The Premiership, which was rebranded last summer, plans to expand from 10 to 12 teams from 2029 while doing away with automatic promotion and relegation. Exeter, who last won the title in 2019-20, currently sit fourth after 14 games and face Bath on Sunday.