BRIAN O’DRISCOLL’S STOCK will continue to soar after his retirement from rugby.
The iconic number 13 was today revealed as Ireland’s most marketable personality.
BOD topped a new poll of sponsorship experts with a record 37%, hinting at the demand that awaits him when he hangs up his boots later this year.
Roy Keane was second with 11% of votes in the Onside Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey while Rory McIlroy received 7%, a drop of 16% from last year.
Ireland football manager Martin O’Neill (6%) and actress — and O’Driscoll’s wife — Amy Huberman (4%) rounded out the top five.
The barometer, which has been conducted annually since 2005, found that spending in the Irish industry grew by 2.7% in 2013, boosted by events such as the Gathering and Ireland’s presidency of the EU.
But it predicted a “temporary dip” of 1.5% this year at an estimated loss of €1.3 million.
