Your Guide to The SVG Summit: Making the Most of It!

Next week, we are expecting our biggest crowd ever at The SVG Summit, our annual gathering, which offers everyone a chance to see hot new technologies, take part in informative and interactive workshop tracks, and, of course, listen and learn at our General Sessions. For first-timers (and even long-timers), it can be a bit overwhelming, particularly on opening day, when many tracks and events will be taking place. So, in the interest of sanity, here is a quick guide to help you get the most out of the show!

First, even before you enter the doors of the New York Hilton, be sure to visit www.thesvgsummit.com to check out the wide range of activities that will take place. Monday, for example, will offer nine separate events for you to take part in; on Monday afternoon, more than 70 table-top exhibits in the Tech Showcase Area will feature the latest in sports-production technology, starting at 3:30 p.m. So be sure to visit the website and plan out your visits to your favorite vendors and also plan on meeting some new future technology partners.

Some tips for getting all you need out of this year’s Summit:

In the Beginning…
First things first: pick up your badge on the second floor (registration begins at 9:00 a.m. on Monday and at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday). Please note that, regardless of what floor the event you want to attend is on, badge pickup will be on the second floor*. Also, if you have not yet registered, please note that there is a late fee of $125 for registering onsite. If you are a speaker, look for the Speaker badge-pickup area, also on the second floor.

Regardless of whether you are preregistered, we recommend that you get to the registration table as early as possible to make sure you beat the last-minute rush.

*SVG Women’s Sports Media Initiative Annual Meeting attendees can pick up their badge at the Nassau Suite, on the second floor.

Start Your Engines!
Okay, so you have your badge in hand. Now what? On Monday morning, feel free to join one of our workshop tracks (or jump from one to the next).

Among the highlights of Day 1 will be the second-annual all-day SVG Digital Summit, featuring a keynote conversation with BAMTECH CTO Joe Inzerillo.

In addition, the morning will feature workshops focusing on IP Remote Production, Cloud Production & MAM Workflows, as well as the annual SVG Summit meetings of the DTV Audio Group and Women in Sports Media Initiative (WSMI) meeting.

The afternoon will feature two SVG Summit Day 1 staples – the Sports Content Management & Storage (SCMS) and Venue Production Workshops — along with the new Wireless Spectrum Workshop, an event for those concerned about the future of wireless-microphone use.

And for the first time ever, our main-stage General Sessions in the Trianon Ballroom will shine the spotlight specifically on truck design and the technology that drives each production area. Like all of our other events, it is designed to inform and enlighten, so, again, spend a few minutes to map out your day.

CLICK HERE for the full Day 1 Agenda.

It’s a Wrap! (Day One)
Monday afternoon concludes the activities with our Opening Night Cocktail Reception in the Tech Showcase Area on the third floor. The Showcase Area (click here for a complete list of vendors) will officially open at 3:30 p.m., with the reception at 5:30-6:30 p.m. Be sure to spend a couple of hours networking with friends and colleagues as well as checking out some of the latest tools of the trade. And, with more than 70 showcases, there will be plenty to see!

Following our reception, it’s time to head out and experience New York City in all its holiday splendor.

The Main Event
Tuesday morning will be the start of what is arguably the most important day on the SVG Calendar: Day 2 of The SVG Summit. All the energy will be focused on the third floor, where panel discussions and keynotes will take place in the Trianon Ballroom alongside the Tech Showcases.

Highlights of the day include three Keynote Conversations focusing on HDR and UHD production, the 2018 FIFA World Cup plans for Fox Sports, and, at 3:45-4:15 p.m., a one-on-one with John Skipper, president, ESPN/co-chairman, Disney Media Networks. You won’t want to miss it!

We will also have SVG’s first in-depth panel focused on The Esports Revolution, as well as three State of the Game sessions in which top production, operations, and digital execs from the MLB, the NBA, and the NFL discuss how they are transforming their respective production techniques and delivery mechanisms to serve fans on any screen, anytime, anywhere. Again, you will want to make sure to attend those sessions and learn about the current and future state of content creation around those sports.

More Networking Than Ever!
Over the years, one of the consistent requests from attendees was to provide more time for pure networking. We have finally figured out how to meet that request, and Tuesday will feature two long breaks as well as an hour-long networking lunch. Be sure to make the most of the two breaks and spend them in the Tech Showcase Area. And the lunch is the perfect chance to sit down with friends and colleagues.

That’s a Wrap! (Seriously… It’s Over)
Day 2 will end at 4:15 p.m. (the Tech Showcases close at 2:45 p.m.), and the entire third-floor area will be transformed from The SVG Summit to the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame. If you have a ticket, join us at 5:30 p.m. for the HOF Cocktail Reception. Doors will open for the Ceremony at 6:40 p.m., and the Ceremony will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. And, if you are attending, please remember that there is no dinner during the ceremony, so be sure to eat up during the reception!