NAB 2025 – Notes from the Neon Frontier

The first time I landed in Las Vegas for NAB, many of the old hotels were still standing. This year, they’ve started tearing down the Mirage – a hotel I once called home for the week. Vegas is always under construction – and that includes the NAB venue itself. After decades of stability, the Las Vegas Convention Center added a brand new West Hall in 2021, first opened (fittingly) by the World of Concrete trade show. And sometimes, Vegas does feel like a world of concrete – especially to your feet after a few days on the show floor.

Now they’re demolishing the Central Hall. Last year it was the new North Hall. Watch out, South Hall – you’re probably next.

This constant evolution gave NAB 2025 a slightly odd dynamic. The West Hall’s vast, gleaming floors were filled with large-scale stands, yet exhibitors still grumbled about footfall. The food hall held strong, but sadly, the coffee hadn’t improved.

A quick 10-minute trip in the Boring Company’s Las Vegas Loop deposited you into… a construction site. From there, attendees had to navigate their way to the Lower (only) South Hall, where the atmosphere immediately felt livelier. Perhaps the buzz came from the heavy focus on production tech – giving the whole space a more “TV” vibe. The North Hall, home to camera rigs and virtual tech, looked slick but felt a little underpopulated. The numbers tell the story: 55,000 attendees this year, down from 61,000 in 2024 – around a 10% drop.

But with 53% of them first-time visitors, maybe they’re the ones we should be asking for feedback. Alexia – over to you…