Funding 'disgusts' Exeter CEO

Disadvantaged: Exeter Chiefs

Related links

Teams

• Exeter

Also see

• Experts
• Rugby on Sky
• Scores
• Highlights
• £5 Free Bet

With just two weeks to go before the start of the new season, Exeter CEO Tony Rowe has labelled the funding on offer to the Aviva Premiership newcomers as "disgusting".

Having only confirmed their status in the top flight in May when they beat Bristol in a play-off, the Chiefs have been behind their new rivals in terms of recruitment and planning.

However their cause has been hindered further because, having never been a part of the top division before, they will receive less than half of the £2.5m of central funding handed out to other clubs.

"The way the Premiership is set up, it's an old boys' club in that the longer you're there, the more money you get," Rowe told The Daily Telegraph.

"Everything is stacked against us. We've got one hand tied behind our back. I think it's disgusting."

Upset

Exeter must also spend six seasons in the Premiership to qualify for the full £1.75m of parachute payments handed to relegated clubs.

"I let Premier Rugby know how upset my management team was over that," Rowe said.

"We are massively disadvantaged."

Even so, Rowe is confident the Chiefs can overcome such hurdles and confirmed they will still spend up to the limit of the £4.23m salary cap, something many promoted teams in the past have failed to do.

"We can overcome all this," he added.

"I'm a half-full rather than a half-empty person. We're the only club that has ticked all the boxes on minimum criteria coming up. We've got a massive responsibility to our supporters. We're the senior sporting club in the West Country."