Acquisition of Exeter Rugby Group by Cannae Holdings, Inc.

Exeter Rugby Club is a leading professional rugby union club and a member of the Gallagher PREM Rugby league, a top division in the English rugby union system. The club is one of the top-performing rugby union clubs in Europe, with the men’s team winning two PREM Rugby League titles in a run of six consecutive finals appearances between 2015/26 and 2020/21. The women’s team competes in the Premiership Women’s rugby league, securing top four finishes in four of the last six seasons and winning the Allianz Cup in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 seasons. 

Cannae is a US-based diversified holding company that invests across multiple sectors where it can create value, having completed other deals in the sports sector including the acquisition of the Black Knight Football Club, including AFC Bournemouth, FC Lorient, and Moreirense FC. 

BDO supported Cannae with transaction support services on the Exeter Chiefs takeover, including financial and tax due diligence services. 
 

"We are delighted to have supported Cannae on its transformational acquisition of Exeter Chiefs. Against the backdrop of an exciting 2025/26 season, this transaction positions the club for an ambitious future, and we look forward to seeing Cannae build on its strong management foundation to unlock new opportunities both on and off the field."

Simon Hall, Partner, BDO LLP

The BDO project team included:

Simon Hall, Ollie Woodward, Toby Ankers, Niel du Toit, Josh Cowan and Alastair Murray (Financial due diligence)