FTI Consulting
ECB and PCA announced a new three-year sponsorship deal in April 2010 with business consulting firm FTI Consulting for the Most Valuable Player rankings system.
FTI MVP rankings awards is presented to the leading domestic player at the end of each county season and the leading England player at the end of the domestic international season and the winter tour period.
A monthly FTI MVP rankings award is also announced throughout the summer for the leading player across the LV= County Championship, Friends Provident t20 and Clydesdale Bank 40.
Originally conceived by the PCA, the FTI MVP rankings powered by PA Sport are a cumulative points system that rewards players for every run scored, every wicket taken and every catch held – and how well they do it.
In the development of the FTI MVP rankings to date, a wealth of player performance data has been compiled. FTI Consulting’s technical experience has the potential to mine the existing information and help sharpen player analysis and create new coaching applications for the rankings data in the professional game and, possibly, applications for the amateur game too.
The FTI MVP rankings are a robust tool providing a new perspective on player performance. The partnership will help to drive the communication of the relevance of the FTI MVP rankings to a wider audience than just players and coaches, creating debate amongst cricket fans in a sport that thrives on statistics.
“As the firm that helps the stewards of modern business make critical decisions at the critical time, FTI Consulting knows firsthand how powerful it is to have timely, accurate information at your fingertips, which is why this partnership with the ECB and PCA makes so much sense,” said Jack Dunn, president and chief executive officer of FTI Consulting.
“We are also honoured to be lending our best-in-class technology, which leading businesses and law firms around the world rely on everyday to turn their voluminous data into actionable corporate assets, to support this exciting way to measure the value of each player’s contribution to the overall performance of the team.”
ECB commercial director John Perera said: “Cricket is a game which thrives on statistics and I am sure that the FTI MVP rankings will become a real talking point for all cricket fans and an invaluable resource for players, coaches and selectors alike."
England all-rounder Stuart Broad pledged his support of the ranking system: “The FTI MVP rankings are a terrific concept and a great way for players to measure how much they are contributing to the team in all areas of the game.
“I know those players in the England team and throughout the counties will be keeping an eye on the rankings regularly."
