ABU DHABI: Ayrton fixtures helped lighting designer Alexander Kotov transform the ballroom of Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi into a football-inspired broadcast environment for the UAE Pro League Awards 2025-26 on 10 August 2026.

Kotov, co-founder and technical director of Dubai-based Cueline, deployed 24 Ayrton Rivale Profiles and 46 Ayrton Kyalami fixtures for the ceremony, which brought together senior officials, football stars and club representatives alongside UAE Pro League Chairman, H.E. Abdulla Naser Al Jneibi. Produced by No.1 Events & Productions, the event was designed for both a live VIP audience and television broadcast. “This was a prestigious event with an array of high-profile guests,” opens Kotov. “There were senior officials, football stars, club representatives and, of course the UAE Pro League Chairman, H.E. Abdulla Naser Al Jneibi in attendance, so we were needed a system that worked equally well for the VIP audience and for the broadcast cameras.”

The ballroom was reimagined as a stadium, with tribunes surrounding a playing field constructed entirely from LED floor and seamlessly connected to the main LED screen. The venue, however, imposed significant technical restrictions, including a roof height of no more than 6m and a load capacity of just 250kg per rigging point, while the available rigging positions did not correspond with Kotov’s preferred locations.

“The venue itself presented several significant challenges – load capacity, a roof height of no more than 6m and an unforgiving white ceiling,” continues Kotov. “With only 250kg per rigging point and with those points not located in our preferred positions, we had to make a couple of creative rigging decisions to get every fixture where we wanted it. With the weight limitations and such a restrictive ceiling height, our choice of Rivale Profile was perfect: its 4° – 52° zoom range meant the low ceiling was not an issue. Opting for the Rivale also allowed us to overcome the other issues of the white ceiling, the number of LED screens, and a laser performer with dancers, all of which meant we needed precise control of intensities and sharp shutter cuts to prevent any spill – the Rivale Profiles did exactly what we needed.”

The 24 Rivale Profiles served as the principal key light for both cameras and the audience, with their movement capabilities also allowing them to function as automated followspots. A Lumatrack tracking system followed the two MCs, enabling the Rivale fixtures to maintain illumination as they moved while limiting unwanted light on the LED floor and other content. “Rivale was our key light – 360° – for all cameras and the audience. Its good CRI held up as broadcast key light, and its speed of movement allowed the fixtures to work as automated followspots: the two MCs (Master of Ceremonies) were followed by a Lumatrack tracking system, so we could keep them well-lit for TV and broadcast wherever they moved, while keeping the content on the floor clean with very little light spill around them” explains Kotov.

With dancers, presenters and LED surfaces occupying much of the ballroom, Kotov also required a compact floor-level fixture that could add depth without obstructing the visual content. The 46 Kyalami fixtures were therefore positioned in three locations: at floor level behind the performers, around the audience and on top of the screen. Kotov informs, “We wanted floor-level lighting to break up the top light without blocking the LED content, and around the audience where we couldn’t use bulky fixtures, so it was crucial to have small and neat fixtures everywhere. The Kyalami really proved their worth, giving us depth behind the performers at floor level, separating them from the top light without ever blocking the LED content, while the units around the audience and on top of the screen extended the same look across the whole room without intruding into the picture.”

For Kotov, the combination of the two Ayrton fixtures addressed the event’s competing demands for broadcast-quality illumination, controlled effects and a lightweight installation; as he concludes, “There are so many reasons why we made the right fixture choices. Rivale’s framing shutters that perfectly cut off any spill area were essential; its zoom ratio made the low ceiling workable, and its low weight made the rig possible within the 250kg point limits. Of course, the animation wheel and gobos gave a nice texture and effect in haze, and the CRI of both units let us use the same fixtures as broadcast key light. It was really satisfying to see the rig deliver on the day. A huge thanks must go out to the team at No.1 Events & Productions and all the crew involved.”