Members newsletter – March 2026
A very busy month as a Claret means a packed newsletter for the March update.
Importantly, we met with the club following the fallout after chairman Alan Pace’s comments regarding fans.
We are also asking all members to reply to this email with their thoughts on the season ticket announcements.
As always, the newsletter follows the familiar format of the four priorities set by members:
- Ticketing
- Supporter Representation & Communication
- Ground Facilities & Issues
- Heritage & Branding
In Brief – This month (Mar)
This month we met with the club following the fallout from the Chairman’s recent comments, confirmed the nominees for the committee ballot, met with an Espanyol supporters group, announced an upcoming event with football finance expert Kieran Maguire, and asked members to share their views on the recently announced season ticket changes.
In Brief – Last month (Feb)
Last month, we issued the final call for committee nominations ahead of our first AGM and set the date for an initial meeting with an Espanyol supporters group.
Ticketing
Season tickets announced – send us your thoughts
The club has now announced details of season tickets for the 2026/27 season, with the headline figure being an advertised below-inflation price increase of 2.9%.
Other changes included in the announcement were:
- U18 and U21 categories merged
- A free ticket for the first home game in both the FA Cup and the League Cup
- Senior concession age increased to 66
- Introduction of a £6 administration fee for Direct Debit payments
We are conscious that supporters may experience these changes in different ways depending on their individual circumstances.
Therefore, we are very keen to hear from all members about the announcement. We would encourage you to review the details released by the club and share your thoughts on both the overall changes and your own situation by replying to this email.
We will compile members’ feedback and use it to inform any response from BFCISA.
Supporter Representation & Communication
Meeting with the club
On 7 February, Chairman Alan Pace made comments during a BBC broadcast which appeared to liken Burnley supporters to three-year-olds “throwing a temper tantrum”. The following day, BFCISA issued a public statement defending supporters and seeking clarification on those remarks. Mr Pace later addressed the issue in his programme notes on 14 February, stating that while he had not intended to cause upset, he “did mean what [he] was trying to say”.
Following this, BFCISA were invited to meet with the Chairman and representatives of the club.
The meeting provided an opportunity to reiterate the points made in our statement, emphasise the importance of positive relationships between the club and its supporters, and explain the role BFCISA plays in representing the views of our members.
The Chairman reiterated that he believes he has the club’s long-term interests at heart and expressed a willingness to continue building relationships with supporter groups.
The discussion provided an opportunity to ensure the views of supporters were clearly put across at senior level and to continue the ongoing dialogue between BFCISA and the club.
As always, our focus remains on representing the views of our members and ensuring supporters’ voices are heard.
Nominations confirmed for the upcoming ballot
Since launching in May 2025, the Steering Group has been working towards handing over to a fully elected committee chosen by members.
On 27 February, all members received the agenda for the upcoming AGM on 23 March, along with a copy of the ballot rules. These documents include the names and statements of the 16 members standing for election to the committee.
We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has put themselves forward, and we’d encourage all members to take the time to read their short statements.
Voting will be open from 9–15 March, and the link to vote will be sent to members when the ballot opens.
Meeting with Espanyol Supporters Group
The Steering Group recently welcomed members of the RCD Espanyol supporters group PBB Castellbell i el Vilar to one of our online meetings.
They joined us shortly before Espanyol’s match with Villarreal that evening, and it was a valuable opportunity to establish a line of communication between supporters of the two clubs.
With Burnley and Espanyol now part of the same multi-club ownership model under ALK Capital, the conversation provided a useful starting point for building links between supporters of both historic clubs.
Ground Facilities & Issues
Away match day experience requests
Thank you to all members who continue to send in feedback following recent away matches.
After the trip to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, Burnley supporters highlighted issues around sightlines in the Arthur Wait Stand and aspects of the surrounding matchday environment.
In response, the club thanked BFCISA members for the detailed and constructive feedback. They acknowledged the challenges presented by the stadium’s age, design and residential location, particularly in the Arthur Wait Stand. They also confirmed that the planned redevelopment of the Main Stand is expected to improve sightlines, with the current gantry due to be removed as part of those works.
The club also confirmed that our feedback would be shared with their Head of Supporter Services and Disability Liaison Officer, who were keen to receive the positive comments from members regarding accessibility arrangements and stewarding.
While not every issue can be resolved immediately, this process helps ensure Burnley supporters’ experiences are shared directly with the relevant clubs and maintains constructive dialogue around matchday conditions.
Heritage and Branding
An evening with football finance expert Kieran Maguire
In last month’s newsletter we mentioned plans to strengthen the connection between supporters, their club and the wider issues affecting the game.
We’re pleased to confirm that BFCISA will be hosting an online event with football finance expert Kieran Maguire.
Kieran is Associate Professor in Football Finance at the University of Liverpool, a broadcaster, and co-host of The Price of Football podcast. He is widely recognised as one of the leading voices on football finance in the UK.
During the event, Kieran will review Burnley FC’s 2024/25 accounts, explain the key figures, and provide members with the opportunity to ask questions on topics that matter to them.
The event will take place online at 7:30pm on 16 April.
Kieran has kindly offered his time free of charge, and we will be using the event as an opportunity to raise money for Samaritans.
Full details will be shared with members soon, and we look forward to what should be a really interesting evening.
Following our recent experiences with VAR in the Brentford match, members may be interested in responding to the FSA’s new VAR survey here!
This has been a busy period for the Clarets and the ISA and we thank members who continue to contribute their thoughts and ideas which shape the way we represent you.
If you have friends, family, colleagues or fellow Clarets that may be interested, continue to spread the word and get them to sign up through the following link – https://www.burnleyfcisa.com/join-bfc-isa/
Up the Clarets,
Burnley FC Independent Supporters Association (BFCISA)
Membership portal: https://membermojo.co.uk/burnleyfcisa
Website: https://www.burnleyfcisa.com/