The League of Ireland season has revealed TV viewing figures for the 2024 season which show a 42 percent increase in the average TV viewership for the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division compared to 2023 figures.
Across 29 games on RTÉ and Virgin Media Television in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division, there was an average peak of 115,246 viewers for the season rising from 81,922 in 2023 while the mean average audience for games in the top flight increased from 48,863 to 69,461.
In a record breaking year for the League of Ireland, average TV viewership for the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division also rose 70% from 8,536 to 14,533 on TG4 with the average peak audience jumping from 24,009 to 33,608 this season.
There has also been a 63% rise in average viewing per game since 2022 in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division with the mean average rising from 42,583 viewers two years ago to 69,461 in 2024 and the average peak increasing from 72,500 to 115,246.
With a rise in the number of televised games, there were a total of 4.2 million views of televised fixtures across the League of Ireland, Sports Direct Men’s and Women’s FAI Cups and Avenir Sports All-Island Cup.
This is also an increase of 35% from 3.1 million in 2023.
Most watched
The most watched game across the League was Shelbourne’s dramatic title win away to Derry City on the final day of the season at The Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on RTÉ2 television with 402,000 peak viewership and an average of 206,000.
Four other games had averages of over 100,000 viewers in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division.
In total, the number of live games across the League of Ireland, Sports Direct Men’s and Women’s FAI Cups and Avenir Sports All-Island Cup increased from 41 to 48.
“The rise in attendances across the League of Ireland has been well documented in recent years and in a record breaking 2024 season, this rise in TV viewership shows that the League is truly starting to enter the nation’s interest,” said League of Ireland Director Mark Scanlon.
“After a thrilling SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division campaign, we were delighted to have RTÉ and Virgin Media Television providing brilliant coverage to follow it every step of the way, culminating in a massive night in Derry and Tallaght on the final night with both games live on RTÉ, which was a first for the League of Ireland.”
“On top of this, we are excited to see the growth in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division with a real spike in viewers showing the rise in the game here and excellent coverage from TG4.”
“We look forward to an even more exciting 2025 working with our TV broadcasting partners as well as the rollout of the new LOITV platform with Premier Sports, which means there will be even more ways to watch it next year.”
SPORT FOR BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE
The League of Ireland is a gem that has been hiding in plain sight but is now very firmly on the radar of sports fans. Playing live matches consistently on Friday nights, with only occasional opposition from domestic Rugby fixtures gives it a place on the calendar that allows people to build habits.
The infrastructure around the League is not there yet to make it a comfortable rather than a visceral experience but Tallaght Stadium in best in class and it will be followed by vastly upgraded facilities at Sligo Rovers, Derry City and especially at Dalymount Park, the home of Bohemians.
By all means support Man United, Liverpool, Celtic or even in strange circumstances, QPR but if you have not yet, adopt a favourite League of Ireland team as well and you will not regret it for an instant.
WHAT’S UP NEXT?
The fixture list for the 2025 season is published on December 17th.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
