TG4 TODAY ANNOUNCED a four-year extension of their backing of the All-Ireland ladies football championships.
The broadcaster’s title sponsorship, which began in 2000, will now run until the end of the 2022 campaign at least.
TG4 have committed to screening 17 championship fixtures during the 2018 season, beginning on 14 July and running until All-Ireland final day on 16 September, when the junior, intermediate and senior deciders will all be carried live. A preview show will also be broadcast live from the Mansion House in Dublin the previous evening.
Last year’s All-Ireland finals, which saw a record attendance of 46,286 at Croke Park, also attracted 563,000 viewers to TG4.
Marie Hickey, president of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association, said: “We are delighted to confirm the extension of our long-running partnership with TG4. They have become synonymous with ladies football since the year 2000 and have helped to take our sport to new and unprecedented levels.
“With such a large overseas population to cater for, and huge interest in our sport across the globe, TG4’s ability to provide coverage to people located outside of Ireland is hugely important to us. Women’s sport remains very much on the rise and on an upward curve, with increased coverage playing a big part in that.
“TG4 have embraced the concept of our revamped championships and will bring even more action to TV viewers this summer. Ladies Football continues to lead the way in Irish women’s sport and after we set a new attendance record in 2017, we’re aiming to go even higher again in September.
“We need the help of clubs and counties to achieve that and I’d appeal to all sports fans to get behind these fabulous players as they set out on a potential journey to Croke Park via the All-Ireland series.”
Following Lidl’s three-year extension of its sponsorship of the National League, this is the second major sponsorship renewal secured by the Ladies Gaelic Football Association in 2018.
The 2018 TG4 All-Ireland ladies football championships, which were officially launched at Croke Park today, will begin on Sunday with the Group 3 meeting of Clare and Down in Kinnegad.
