The LGFA have been urged to take risks and "think outside the box" as they launch an initiative to increase spectator numbers at the upcoming Lidl Ladies National Football League.
A poll commissioned by the competitions' sponsors found that 59% of Irish people have never attended a female sports event, and are five times more likely to go to a male sporting event over an equivalent female sporting event.
Out of the 25% of the population who do attend live female sporting events, attendees are more likely to be male (57%) than female (43%) and aged between 35-54, according to the poll.
As part of the 'Get Behind the Fight' campaign, several key speakers will attend Wednesday's league launch at Croke Park.
Among them is Lindsay Peterson, the director of operations for the Nebraska volleyball programme in the USA. Peterson was one of the driving forces behind last August's clash between Nebraska Huskers and Omaha 3-0 at Memorial Stadium, which was attended by over 92,000 fans - a record figure for a women's sporting event.
The current record attendance in Ireland is 56,114 - the figure for the 2019 TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Gaelic football finals. The record attendance at a women's soccer match was set last September, when 35,944 spectators watched the Republic of Ireland beat Northern Ireland 3-0 at the Aviva Stadium.
Peterson says barriers can be broken with ambition and a willingness to take risks.
"It takes some risk and it takes people to kind of go outside the box, to be willing to think about what they can do to make the fan experience worth getting fans out there," she told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
"They've got to leave the event one, impressed with the product on the field or court; and two, remembering their experience at the event.
"When we had the idea of doing our record-breaking crowd, originally it wasn't the intent of setting a world record, it was just breaking the attendance record that was previously held for a women's volleyball match.
"We had lots of doubts. There were probably more cons than pros when you sat down and started writing them out on paper, but we were willing to take the risk to try and accomplish it. I mean, playing a volleyball match outside is in itself a huge challenge, but that was a challenge we were willing to accept because we knew if it went off and was a success that it would be monumental not only for volleyball... but women's sport in general."
Other speakers at Croke Park today include Holly Murdock, the head of operations in the women's professional Game at the English FA; Dublin's All-Ireland-winning captain Carla Rowe; Republic of Ireland international Stephanie Roche; and former Ireland, Leinster and Lions star Gordon D'Arcy.
"When you hit a road block, find a way around," Peterson added when expanding on how the LGFA can achieve their goals.
"Don't take no as an answer. It's going to be hard, and that has to be the mindset going in. It's going to be hard, there's going to be challenges, there's going to be setbacks but don't let that be the be-all and end-all. You have to be willing to bounce back and try to find another way.
"With great risk there's great reward. That was our biggest motivator, and that's maybe the mindset that I encourage female sports here to take.
"There's going to be risks involved and it's going to be hard but the reward will be well worth it."
The research commissioned by Lidl and carried out by Red C in December 2023 found 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 to just over a quarter (29%) having never attended a live men’s event.
Lack of media coverage is perceived to negatively affect public awareness and support, with some 40% stating this as a reason for non-attendance at live women's events.
Almost two thirds (65%) of people think women’s sport does not get enough media coverage in Ireland and 83% agree that men’s sport is covered more comprehensively.
