Esports Awards 2024: Making History in Riyadh

The Esports Awards 2024 Riyadh Team. Production, Talent & Vendors

It’s not every day you get to be part of something that’s never been done before. In 2024, I had the incredible opportunity to help bring the Esports Awards to the Middle East for the first time. This was my second event in the region—after working on F1 Esports in Abu Dhabi—but this one was on an entirely different scale.

Our journey started weeks before we even landed in Riyadh. The core production team—JX, Morgan, Lily, Candela, Randy, Rollie, and myself—worked closely with the team in the UK, with Mike Ashford leading the charge on scripts. Meanwhile, we were deep into pre-production, building out the show’s graphics in Xpression and fine-tuning every detail to make sure we were ready.

Then, it was time to bring everything to life. We traveled to Saudi Arabia for two weeks of intense prep, working on-site at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh. The Kingdom Ballroom became our home as we transformed it into a stage worthy of celebrating the best in esports. And while we were there, we filmed the Countdown Show with Quickshot and Jasmine at BLVD City—home of the Esports World Cup—capturing the energy of esports in the heart of Riyadh.

Building Something Special

Every Esports Awards production brings new challenges and opportunities to push the boundaries, and this year was no different. Some of the things we pulled off:

• An 11-camera setup, ensuring we could capture every reaction, every moment, and every highlight.

• A wrap-around LED screen, which made our video packages more immersive than ever. Seeing the content stretch across the entire stage added an extra layer of depth to the show.

• Timecoded lighting integration—a first for our production—syncing lights perfectly to key moments, like the “Year in Esports” video, making it even more impactful.

From the long days of setup to the adrenaline rush of show night, this event was something truly special. Seeing all the planning, collaboration, and hard work come together on stage made every moment worth it.

Of course, no words can fully capture the experience—so check out the photo gallery below for a closer look at what went down in Riyadh. Until next time!