Katie Taylor has regained top spot in the annual Teneo Sport’s Sponsorship Index list of Most Admired Sports Stars.

Having been second to Conor McGregor in 2016, her surge through the pro boxing ranks has seen her increase her vote in the survey of 1,000 adults from 14 percent to 21 percent, while McGregor’s stock has halved from 16 percent to eight percent.

There was consolation for McGregor though in what Irish people saw as the Most Memorable Sporting Moment of the year.

The Las Vegas showdown against Floyd Mayweather scored highest here with 26 percent of the overall vote. That was double the vote for James McClean’s goal against Wales in the World Cup Qualifiers in second (13 percent) with the final of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in third (11 percent).

Joe Canning’s match-winning point against Tipperary to win the All-Ireland hurling semi-final polled well on 10 percent while Dean Rock’s free to win the All-Ireland football final scored 8 percent.

The research was carried out by Teneo Sports and Ignite Research and examines the Irish general public’s attitudes towards sport, their sporting heroes, levels of participation and the impact of sport on the Irish psyche. This is the eighth year of the research. This is the view of the general public and not a survey of sports fans.

Soccer on Top

Soccer remains the country’s most popular sport overall with 20% of respondents naming it their Favourite Sport, ahead of Gaelic games (17%) and rugby (15%).

There is an interesting gender difference in terms of popularity with soccer’s appeal heavily skewed towards men for whom 32 percent ranked it top versus only nine percent among women. Hopefully the continued success of the Women’s National Team in search of a first World Cup next year will alter that somewhat.

Gaelic games come out on top as the favourite sport amongst women at 17 percent with rugby second at 12 percent.

Walking (37 percent), swimming (19 percent), running (10 percent) and cycling (9 percent) are the most popular forms of exercise. 21 percent of all those interviewed who were aged over 18 are members of a gym while 17 percent are members of a sports club other than a gym.

A problem for Rugby?

One of the most interesting shifts from 2016 to 2017 is a significant difference in what people say they are looking forward to most in the year ahead.

As a nation, the All-Ireland championships are the sporting events that are getting us most excited ahead of next year.

One in four Irish adults say the senior championships across all four codes (football, hurling, ladies football and camogie) are what they are most looking forward to in 2018 in a sporting context as the GAA remains enduringly popular.  This is up from 19 percent last year, and the growth seems at the expense of rugby.

The Natwest 6 Nations was the thing that excited most going into 2017 but the figure 12 months on has halved from 26 percent to only 13 percent.

“This is the eighth year of this research amongst the general public and every year it throws up some very interesting findings which generate plenty of debate,” said Kelli O’Keefe, MD of Teneo Sports.

“What is clear, is that the popularity of the big three – soccer, Gaelic games and rugby – shows no signs of abating.”

“Gaelic games has had a big year and it has certainly stoked the nations’ interest and excitement levels ahead of 2018.”

“In a lot of people’s opinion, female sports in this country crossed the rubicon in the last twelve months. Katie Taylor has always been to the fore in this research but this year we’re seeing the impact that the Women’s Rugby World Cup had on the nations’ consciousness and the appeal of the Dublin ladies football team.”

“It is always a challenge to rank one amazing sports star in one code against one from another code and to do the same with sporting achievements and international successes against domestic triumphs. Sport is all about opinion and I have no doubt that TV exposure, publicity, hype and media coverage plays a huge part in informing the public.”

Join Kelli O’Keefe and the Teneo Team as well as fellow members of the Sport for Business community when we look ahead to the Sporting Year Ahead over coffee and croissants in our first open gathering of 2018 at the Marker Hotel in Dublin on the morning of January 18th. Book your place here.