The FIGHT TO BE SEEN Goes on
AS a means of shining a spotlight on how to grow attendances, the expert panel assembled for the launch of the 2024 Lidl National Football League provided a fascinating snapshot into the past, present and future of women’s sport.
At one point, host Marie Crowe mentioned the appearance of Leah Williamson on the Graham Norton Show and the New Year’s Eve special of 2022. How the England captain was feted for her team’s historic success in the Euros.
Apart from the revelation of inspiring the dressing room with renditions of ABBA’s Does Your Mother Know, Williamson spoke of living her mother’s dream. Of her mother being an allrounder who started out playing football but who had to pretend to be a boy to play.
Why? Because the FA’s ban on women playing football was only lifted in 1971.
The story resonated for many reasons. Not least to point up how much things have changed from that point to where the final of that tournament would be played out in front of a sell-out record attendance at Wembley but also to show how the landscape has changed dramatically over the last 50 years or so.
The Ladies Gaelic Football Association hadn’t even been formed at that stage. Indeed, 2024 represents the 50th anniversary year since its formation. CEO Helen O’Rourke and Lidl Ireland
CEO JP Scally were the first two speakers at an illuminating morning forum. O’Rourke spoke of how ‘we’re both trying to build something together’, of how, ‘when we look back at what we’ve achieved over 50 years, we’re all very proud of where the game has come from’.
Sponsors Lidl have provided serious backing since first coming on board in 2016 with over €10 million spent, including millions in the latest advertising campaign. They also commissioned valuable research in laying bare the road that still needs to be travelled in terms of support for women’s sport and attendances.
The most damning finding from a survey carried out by Red C in December 2023 revealed that, despite 42% of people stating an interest in attending a female sporting event and three quarters (74%) thinking it is a shame that people don’t attend, more than half (59%) of the population admit they have never attended a live female sporting event compared. That’s compared to just over a quarter (29%) having never attended a live men’s event.
Going head-to-head, Irish people are five times more likely to attend a premier men’s event in person than an equivalent premier female event, with almost half (46%) saying that men’s sport is generally better to watch. A staggering 59% of Irish people said they would prefer to watch men’s sport on TV than attend a live female sporting event.
As a means to changing perceptions, Wednesday’s forum saw an exclusive preview of Lidl’s hardhitting new TV and outdoor ad campaign, one which contains a strong call to action to ‘Get Behind the Fight’ and attend ladies Gaelic football fixtures at all levels of the game.
As Scally put it: ‘This campaign is about accelerating a process of change in our society as our female athletes deserve support week in week out. It’s not just about turning up for our sisters, daughters and partners, it’s about creating a new wave of support for the next generation to drive on the game.’
When he spoke about the dream of filling Croke Park on All-Ireland final day or even for a National League final, it didn’t feel like pie in the sky. Not when the showpiece All-Ireland final has already broken the 50,000 barrier and not when two other guest panellists were there to prove that the sky is the limit.
Lindsay Peterson is the Director of Operations for the Nebraska Volleyball Programme. Based at the University of Nebraska, she joined the dots from starting small to selling out a football stadium with a crowd of 92,003 for a women’s college volleyball match — a record figure for a women’s sporting event. She broke down the process of dreaming big — and then making those dreams happen. Of reaching a point now where there is a waiting list for season tickets and where the players are such public property they can hardly go out for dinner or drinks without celebrity attention.
She shared the top table of the auditorium with Holly Murdock, the Head of Operations for the Women’s Professional Game at the English FA. Who spoke with a trailblazing passion that almost explained why the game in England has been such a success story with more and more games being played in big stadia and the players now becoming role models and primetime talk show material.
‘It has been incredible to see the growth of the women’s professional game in recent years,’ she said, ‘with the hard work of everybody across our clubs and leagues coming to fruition in the shape of the record-breaking attendances we have been seeing. Whether it’s over 59,000 at the Emirates Stadium, 43,000 at Old Trafford or 14,000 at Ashton Gate, these attendances have seen history made over the course of the last few seasons.
‘As far as we have come, we are under no illusions that this is only the beginning of our journey and the hard work will continue to ensure that the women’s game flourishes and our fanbase grows, with the aim being to see those records tumble.’
Now she admitted it’s still a constant process of trying to break down barriers — ‘I don’t think there will ever be no barriers to break down’ — but clearly relishes the constant challenges.
And the makeup of the panel was a sign of how comfortable the LGFA is in looking outward for ideas. Carla Rowe, Dublin ladies football captain, sat between former Irish rugby international Gordon D’Arcy and Republic of Ireland and Shamrock Rovers player Stephanie Zambra (née Roche). The discussion took in how to grow attendances, no matter the codes.
D’Arcy spoke of how Leinster Rugby did just that, transforming itself in the professional era. Roche spoke of the buzz at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and the difference for players and everyone involved when the games take place in front of packed attendances.
It all boils down to the new campaign: ‘Get behind the fight’.
Tomorrow afternoon, Lidl’s new ad will be aired on primetime television for the first time. The message for the season ahead couldn’t be clearer.
Williamson’s mother had to pretend to be a boy to play The message for the season ahead couldn’t be clearer