A Game Plan – The Professional Game Match Officials Board Conference 2022

When Red Occasions were tasked to support at the PGMOL 2022 conference, the team were match-fit and ready! PGMOL is the Professional Game Match Officials Limited, a group of referees that officiate across all Premier League, English Football League (EFL) and Football Association (FA) competitions.

Run by managing director Mike Riley and a team of managers and coaches, the PGMOL were formed in 2001. Their mission is to improve refereeing standards. With 117 referees and 177 assistant referees, the group is funded by the Premier League, EFL and FA. The job in hand was a 3-day conference of 600 attendees, so one thing we knew for sure at Red Occasions HQ was that we needed to be on the ball with this event!

Keeping our eye on the ball

Conferences are a great way to bring together an organisation to share ideas, deliver news and to network. The purpose of this conference was to update the referees and match officials with all the latest football rules, practices and industry-related news. No small task!

Organising a conference can be daunting. One of the most crucial aspects is the audio-visual set-up. Using a professional audio-visual company can make all the difference when it comes to the success of the event. Do you have a conference coming up? or any lite hire ? If you’re looking for help with conference production  and lighting in Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Bedford or the surrounding regions, Red Occasions can help. We can help with the set-up or offer audio visual hire in Luton, Northampton and beyond.

Pitch Perfect

The conference was held at the impressive Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow Hotel & Conference Centre. This unique space is one of Europe’s largest conference centres, so it was the perfect place to hold this 600-strong attendee event. With its beautiful airy atriums and high ceilings, this immense space offers unmatched sources of natural light. It’s a memorable event space that holds not only conferences but seminars, training and exhibitions too.

We were invited to support with the audio-visual aspects of the event alongside staging, set and event decoration. It’s these kinds of challenges that our team love to get our teeth into. AV is critical to the success of any event. It’s absolutely imperative that the speakers at a conference can deliver their messages effectively and that all guests can hear and see everything clearly. With our extensive experience in all things AV, we were able to offer our AV technical know-how, as well as providing creative solutions to make the event wow.

Formation – As Slick as a Whistle

As well as utilising the main conference space, the group also had use of 6 break-out rooms and the foyer area. It really was all hands on deck to ensure that each of the spaces had impeccable AV and were decorated, ready for the attendees.

We spent time ensuring that the foyer was personalised to PGMOL. We included custom banners, stickers to the floor and branded handrails. This helped transform the venue into a unique space with a warm atmosphere. Adding that personal touch really bought the event to life and made it feel more prestigious. With such personalisation, attendees feel appreciated and part of something special. It really helped to not only take the conference to another level but also create that sense of anticipation and excitement. We also installed an LED screen in the foyer which was used to deliver key messages to attendees and added an additional layer of decoration.

The stage is a fundamental part of any conference. It’s the focal point after all! Red Occasions supplied staging and custom set designs for the event. This visual anchor gave the audience a clear line of sight and set the tone for the conference. We used rear projection with ultra-short throw lenses along with an L’Acoustic PA system for a slick audio visual experience.

A Game of Two Halves

In the breakout rooms, we set up audio, video and lighting and were on hand to ensure everything was running smoothly. Breakout rooms encourage participation and allow for more targeted discussions. The idea was to break up the time from the large session, allowing the attendees to decompress and engage in smaller discussions. It was important that the AV worked as flawlessly in the breakout rooms as it did in the main space. Our technicians ensured that this was the case. We worked hard to make sure that the event delivered on all levels.

What Was The Score? – The Event Specifics

Who: Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL)

What: PGMOL Conference 2022

Where: Radisson Blu Edwardian Heathrow Hotel & Conference Centre

Why: The event is a key opportunity to update referees and match officials with rules, practices, and industry-related news.

Full-Time Whistle

The Red Occasions team thoroughly enjoyed working with the PGMOL. The result? It was a fantastic event for a world-class client. We are really looking forward to working with them again this year!

If you are looking for help with conference production in Cambridge, Milton Keynes, Bedford and beyond, give Red Occasions a call. We not only work on event production but also offer audio visual hire in Luton, Northampton and the surrounding cities.