The streaming media industry has long been tethered to major trade shows like NAB and IBC. Yet, as we enter 2025, it might be time to rethink this long-standing tradition.

I just had a conversation where my mention of not likely attending NAB this year sparked shock and horror on someone’s face. (He was from the US.) This reaction was not surprising. But most people I’ve spoken to in Europe are reconsidering their presence at NAB. Why? The consensus seems to be: it’s expensive and doesn’t always deliver value.

NAB: Size Without Substance?

While NAB is undeniably massive, its effectiveness for the streaming media sector - and especially those who have to travel from afar - is in question. I was at NAB 2024, and despite one main hall dedicated to the streaming industry, there was little new business to be found. Sure, it’s always nice to reconnect with existing contacts, and meet those people you are already in discussions with, but meaningful new connections and deals were scarce. That is certainly a unique personal perspective.

Some diehard attendees and exhibitors swear by this show, and if your budget allows, great. But for many, it’s worth asking: is it still the best use of time and resources? For me, IBC has consistently been the more productive show in terms of attracting global visitors, forging new connections and advancing business opportunities.

Exploring Alternatives

The landscape of industry events is vast, and there’s plenty beyond NAB and IBC. At Broadcast Projects, we maintain an updated calendar of events through the TV Events Hub. Recently, spurred by conversations with industry peers in Europe who were reconsidering their attendance at NAB, I began looking closer to home in Europe for alternatives. The updated TV Events Hub now includes these shows, offering a chance to explore events that might be more relevant, accessible, and cost-effective. You can check out the full list here.

A New Perspective: The ICE Gaming Show

In a bid to try something new, I recently attended the ICE Gaming Show in Barcelona, right in my backyard. What I discovered was eye-opening. ICE felt like a reverse IBC or NAB—where some of the exhibitors– mainly from from esports, i-gaming and live betting - are the ones attending IBC and NAB. These companies mainly outsource their real-time streaming and support operations, and DRM is not even yet much understood in this world.

Major players in live horse racing, greyhound racing, and gaming with live dealers were present as exhibitors at this year’s ICE. While vendors such as Nanocosmos, Ceeblue, Phenix RTS, Agora.io, and Dolby Millicast were either present at the show or mentioned by those exhibitors as being their providers. Even GPAC packaging has its place in the esports and the immersive experience ecosystem. Nanocosmos, who had a stand at ICE, told me they had been attending this show for over a decade and is now a leading name in the gaming world.

Long lines for the immersive gaming action at the Imagine Live stand.

David Eisenbacher, CEO of EZDRM, shared his view that this market is a “green field” — akin to where the OTT business was back in 2002. It’s a complex, untapped space with tremendous opportunity, albeit one that will take time to cultivate.

Why Real-Time Services Matter in Betting and Gaming

Companies in the betting world, esports, i-gaming, and live online dealer sectors have a critical need for real-time streaming and DRM solutions. Real-time services enable these industries to deliver seamless, low-latency experiences for their users—a must-have for competitive gaming and betting. For example:

Esports: Fans watching live tournaments expect minimal delays to maintain the integrity of gameplay and the viewing experience. Real-time streaming ensures that audiences see the action as it unfolds, which is essential for fan engagement.
Betting: In live horse racing or greyhound racing, odds can shift within seconds based on events in the race. Low-latency streaming ensures bettors can place their wagers without delay, protecting the integrity of the betting system.
Live Dealers: For online casinos with live dealers, players need real-time video to interact with the dealer and place bets in a way that mimics the immediacy of a physical casino. Any delay would compromise the authenticity of the experience.
i-Gaming: Many games involve live interactions between players or between players and servers, necessitating ultra-low latency for gameplay to function as intended.

Real-time DRM solutions are equally vital to these sectors, ensuring content is securely streamed without risking revenue loss from piracy or unauthorized access.

The ICE Experience

As a first-time attendee, I was struck by the event’s scale and buzz. With 55,000 attendees, it was a high-energy, big-ticket event—glitzy stands, crowded floors, and an unmistakable sense of opportunity. There was even a company named after me!

Janet Greco on the Greco stand at ICE 2025

Of course, there were many areas completely unrelated to streaming, such as the land-based gaming sections with slot machines, mesmerizing roulette wheels, payment and fraud detection services. But the chance to survey the enormity of this sector and zero in on which companies might be potential clients for the streaming media vendor proved invaluable.

One refreshing feature of ICE was its app, which was intuitive and functional. The app provided attendees with a full list of attendees for 2025 and networking tools to connect, message, and schedule appointments, a plan your week feature and an interactive floor plan, essential for navigating the halls, especially since, bizarrely, stand numbers were not displayed on the show floor.

Niche shows like ICE Gaming serve some of the exhibitors that attend IBC and NAB. Unfortuntely their identities remain hidden due to restrictions on making attendee lists available to visitors of IBC and NAB in advance.

Events like ICE offer apps and tools to connect with everyone attending the show, allowing businesses to build relationships ahead of time. Isn’t that what trade shows should be about?

With Ongoing Industry Shifts, Shouldn’t Trade Show Strategies Shift Too?

Over the past few years, the media and entertainment technology sector has faced growing financial pressures. Layoffs at major broadcasters, including CNN, NBC and others, have highlighted the industry's challenges in adapting to changing viewer habits and revenue models. Streaming services have also faced tightening budgets due to rising competition, increased content costs, and shifting economic realities. These cost-saving measures are reflective of broader trends: tighter budgets, prioritization of core initiatives, and a focus on maximizing ROI.

In this environment, companies are reevaluating their expenditures across the board, including trade show participation, making a compelling case for exploring alternatives to the traditional big-name events, especially in richer verticals.

The Case for Diversification

NAB and IBC will always have their place, but exploring alternatives—whether closer to home or in new sectors—can open up fresh opportunities.

Attending alternative trade shows might not provide the same massive scale as NAB or IBC, but sometimes smaller or niche events can offer a sharper focus and better ROI. At ICE, while technical people relevant to our industry indeed were not present on the show floor, it was nevertheless useful to identify companies that might need (or may already be buying) streaming services and then connect with their technical teams afterward via platforms like LinkedIn.

If you’re feeling disillusioned with the big shows, I encourage you check out the updated TV Events Hub, which features a range of events - from big to small - that might align better with your goals. Smaller doesn’t necessarily mean less impactful—it may well mean less noise, more relevance and maybe just broaden your horizons.

By Janet Greco, Broadcast Projects

Reevaluating Media Tech Trade Shows: Insights from the ICE Gaming Show and Beyond

Digital Media Partners