Premier League owners set to takeover PREM rugby club alongside Hollywood star

English rugby appears to be going through a resurgence at present to guide them towards a brighter future as investment in the PREM has increased over the past year.

In March Bath Rugby announced that billionaire Sir James Dyson has acquired a 50 per cent ownership stake in the group comprising Bath Rugby, Arena 1865, the club’s stadium development company, and the Farleigh training facilities.

Northampton Saints received a multi-million pound cash injection from financier Steve Zander, which was short of a buyout but demonstrated a renewed optimism around the English top-flight.

Meanwhile, Newcastle were recently acquired by Red Bull to become Newcastle Red Bulls, a move which has seen the club undergo a dramatic transformation and spending spree ahead of next season.

A general view of the stadium prior to the Gallagher PREM match between Exeter Chiefs and Northampton Saints at Sandy Park (Getty Images)

The latest club in the PREM that is set to get fresh owners is Exeter Chiefs, as Black Knight Football Club looks to branch out into rugby union, as they already own Premier League side AFC Bournemouth.

As reported by the Telegraph, the takeover is pending a vote by Exeter's members at an extraordinary general meeting in May.

Bournemouth are just one of several high-profile clubs that are within Black Knight’s portfolio, along with Auckland FC, Scotland's Hibernian and France's FC Lorient.

Black Knight’s consortium is headed by American businessman Bill Foley along with Oscar-winning actor Michael B. Jordan as part of the group.

Bill Foley, owner of AFC Bournemouth during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Manchester United (Getty Images)

The proposed deal has coincided with the end of relegation and the establishment of a franchise-based system set to start from next season.

This will be a fresh start for Exeter after having been supported financially by Tony Rowe, who since their promotion to the English top flight in 2010, as they have won the Prem title in 2017 and 2020, along with the Champions Cup in 2020.

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Rowe spoke about future investment, as he said: “I've effectively run a business for the last 30-odd years for a shareholder who's got no money.

"What I'm looking forward to is an investor who's got some money. That'll be a massive difference for me.

"I think it will put us in a really good place to take advantage of the future. Whether you like it or not, professional sport is all about money. We need money to survive."