Almost 60% of Irish people have never attended a live women's sporting event, according to new research from supermarket giants Lidl.
Lidl, who is the main sponsor of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) National Football League, commissioned research examining the Irish public's attitude toward women's sports, revealing that 59% of people in Ireland have never attended a live women's sporting event.
In comparison, only 29% of Irish people have never attended a live men's sporting event.
The poll, which was carried out by Red C in December, found that Irish people are five times more likely to attend a premier men's sporting event than an equivalent women's sporting event.
NEWS ?️@lidl_ireland unveils unprecedented new research into support for female sport in Ireland at 2024 Lidl National Football League Launch
Full details➡️ https://t.co/AwTzyqsQbB#SeriousSupport
— Ladies Football (@LadiesFootball) January 10, 2024
Meanwhile, 59% of Irish people said they would prefer to watch a live men's sporting event on television than a women's one.
Out of the 25% of the population that regularly attends women's sporting events, spectators are more likely to be men (57%) than women (43%). Spectators are also most likely to be aged between 35 and 54.
Respondents to the survey cited lack of media coverage as a huge issue affecting women's sports, with 40% of people stating that they do not attend live events due to lack of coverage.
Almost two-thirds (65%) of respondents said women's sport does not receive enough coverage in Ireland, while 83% of people believe that men's sport receives more comprehensive coverage than women's sport.
Over a third of respondents (37%) said female sports venues were too difficult to get to, while 34% of people said ticket prices were too high.
Meanwhile, 46% of Irish people believe men's sport to be of higher quality than women's sport, with 38% of people stating that the quality of women's sport isn't high enough to justify attending a live event.
The current record for a women's sporting event in Ireland is 56,114 supporters, who attended the 2019 All Ireland Ladies Football final, while 35,944 people attended Ireland's Nations League meeting with Northern Ireland at the Aviva Stadium last September, a record for women's soccer in Ireland.
However, figures indicate that support for women's sport is not consistently strong outside of showcase events.
Lidl, in partnership with the LGFA, is aiming to boost attendance during the upcoming LGFA National Football League campaign.
Division 1 of the National League kicks off on Saturday, January 20, with a meeting between Dublin and Kerry in Parnell Park, a repeat of last year's All Ireland final.
It is also a battle of the champions, with All Ireland champions Dublin taking on reigning National League champions Kerry.
Meanwhile, Divisions 2 and 3 will also kick off next weekend, while Division 4 teams will play in their second round of fixtures.
J.P. Scally, CEO of Lidl Ireland, said the supermarket giant is committed to supporting the growth of ladies football and other women's sports in Ireland.
"The research has revealed some pretty stark perceptions about female sport in Ireland and the aim of this campaign is to tackle those head-on and break through the bias to showcase the incredible skill of players and quality of gameplay and the potential that the game has to deliver for fans with more support behind it," Scally said in a statement.
"This campaign is about accelerating a process of change in our society as our female athletes deserve support week in, week out."
LGFA President Mícheál Naughton said the findings of the new study are "revealing" and said it was important that members of the public got behind women's teams in 2024.
"It’s an exciting year for the LGFA as we celebrate our 50th anniversary on July 18th and it promises to be another memorable campaign as our counties battle it out for Lidl National League honors before attention switches to the Championship season."
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