According to research done by Lottoland, it has been revealed that the Olympics is the sporting event Irish people will miss most this year.
Nearly three in ten people surveyed said they will miss the Games most. The Games were due to take place this summer in Tokyo, but have been postponed until 2021 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Irish people also bemoaned the suspension of the Six Nations, with Ireland's final two matches against Italy and France postponed until further notice. 21 percent of people surveyed said they missed the conclusion of the Six Nations most, with Ireland still in contention for an unlikely Six Nations crown.
Of the domestic sporting events, the All-Ireland Senior Football and Hurling Championships ended up with nearly identical statistics, with the All-Ireland Senior Football Championships just shading it. Both were the two most missed domestic sporting events, finishing ahead of the likes of the Galway Races, the Punchestown Festival and the resumption of the League of Ireland season.
Geographical location played a part in some answers being more popular than others. Those who answered from Dublin felt as though they'll miss the Olympics the most (30%), with Munster folk more concerned about the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (20%). Results from Ulster show that a majority of people miss the conclusion of the Six Nations (29%).
Here is the table in full:
- Olympics 28%
- 2020 Six Nations Rugby finale 21%
- Premier League finale 19.8%
- GAA Football Championships 15.2%
- GAA Hurling Championships 14.6%
- European Rugby Champions Cup final 12.4%
- Champions League final 12.4%
- Wimbledon 12.2%
- The Galway Races 5.8%
- The Open Golf Championship 5.8%
- Punchestown Festival horse racing 4%
- League of Ireland season 3.6%
- Ladies Gaelic Football Championship 3.2%
- Camogie Championship 2.4%
What's beyond all doubt is the fact that we cannot wait for sport to return.
