A finals draw for a UEFA tournament is live, international, and unforgiving. There is no second take. It was one of the highest-profile pieces of event production Wrexham had seen, and the venue we were asked to do it in was a lecture theatre at Wrexham University, a room never designed for an event of that scale.
This is the story of how it came together, and why the most important work happened on a drawing weeks before anyone walked in.
How we got the job
Wrexham University brought me in. I used to lecture there in audio engineering, so I still have good contacts in the building. The head of the university’s AV team felt the specification was larger than he was comfortable taking on alone, and asked me to get involved early.
The brief was substantial: a large video LED wall, custom branding, audio, live streaming, and lighting. The Football Association of Wales was running the event on behalf of UEFA. This was not a job to wing.
The problem the room handed us
The lecture theatre had a catch. The lectern, where the presenter would stand, was off to one side of the space. There was not enough room to place the video screen behind it in the conventional position.
On camera, that would have looked wrong. And this event was going out live to an international audience, so wrong on camera was not an option.
The thing is, I knew about it weeks before the day, because I was working in CAD. I could see the whole room to scale on screen, and the problem was obvious in the design long before it could become a problem in the room.
The fix came from the design
Because I could see it early, I could solve it early. I amended the CAD plan to include a branded set panel return positioned behind the presenter, framing the video wall properly so the whole thing read correctly on camera as well as in the room.
That solution only exists because of the design process. Spotting the issue on a drawing meant we could build the answer in before anything was installed, rather than discovering it on the morning with no time to fix it.
We presented the amended design to the FAW, who were running the event for UEFA. They liked it. A phone call followed, the quote was discussed and agreed, and the job was confirmed. This is exactly what AV system design is for.
On-site technical lead, not just a supplier
Once it was confirmed, we had direct technical conversations with UEFA, who in turn liaised with the other external suppliers responsible for the live stream and the live graphics.
That made PSL the on-site technical lead. We supported the other companies, connected everything together, and acted as the intermediary between the two external suppliers so that UEFA’s own technical provision, the live stream, and the venue infrastructure all spoke to each other. In my own words, we brought all the technical provision together, supplied some of the tech, and enabled the rest to integrate.
That is a different level of responsibility from turning up with a PA. We were the point where everything met.
How the day went
Once everything was agreed, the day itself was straightforward, which is exactly how you want a live international broadcast to feel. The draw went out live, internationally, without a hitch. I thought it looked great, and I genuinely enjoyed working with everyone involved, not least seeing how other companies operate at that level.
The part I remember most is the relationship side. Building instant rapport so that clients trust you and feel in good hands is half the job on an event like this. The UEFA contacts may not come round often, but the relationship with the Welsh FA is one I would very much like to continue.
It is a fair summary of how we work: get the hard thinking done early, on the drawing, so the day takes care of itself.
Frequently asked questions
What did PSL do for the UEFA Under-19 Finals Draw?
We were the on-site technical lead, supplying the production and connecting it together. We brought the technical provision together, supplied some of the tech, and enabled the other external suppliers, including the live stream team, to integrate.
How did the CAD design help?
The lectern was off to one side, leaving no space for the screen behind it. Working in CAD, we spotted this early and added a branded set panel return behind the presenter so it looked correct on camera.
Was the event live-streamed?
Yes, internationally, from a lecture theatre at Wrexham University not designed for an event of that scale. It went out live without a hitch.
Who ran the event?
The Football Association of Wales ran it on behalf of UEFA. PSL was brought in early by Wrexham University and worked directly with UEFA and the external suppliers.
Planning a high-stakes event in North Wales?
If a job has to go right the first time, in front of an audience or a camera, the work that makes that happen starts long before the day. We do conference AV and large-scale event production across North Wales and the wider UK.
Get in touch and we will talk through what your event needs.
Darren Hughes is Director of Pivotal Sound & Lighting, an AV and event production company based in Llay, Wrexham, North Wales. PSL delivered the technical production for the UEFA Under-19 European Championship Finals Draw and works with clients including Rolex, Google, and the Football Association of Wales.