NAB Show vs InfoComm: Which AV/Media Show Should You Exhibit At?

If your company sells cameras, switchers, LED displays, streaming platforms, or any technology that lives at the intersection of audiovisual and media production, you have almost certainly debated this question: NAB Show or InfoComm? Both events dominate the AV calendar, both attract serious buyers with real budgets, and both can deliver significant pipeline for the right exhibitor. But they serve fundamentally different audiences, and choosing the wrong one can mean spending $80,000 or more to pitch solutions to a room full of people who will never buy them.

This guide breaks down NAB Show 2026 and InfoComm 2026 across every dimension that matters to exhibitors: audience composition, booth costs, logistics, ROI potential, and competitive landscape. By the end, you will know exactly which show deserves your budget, or whether the answer is both.

NAB Show 2026: The Broadcast and Content Creation Powerhouse

The National Association of Broadcasters Show returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center from April 12 to 16, 2026. Now in its centennial era, NAB Show has evolved well beyond its roots in radio and television broadcasting. The event sprawls across more than 1 million square feet of exhibit space, making it one of the largest trade shows in North America by floor area. Over 100,000 attendees are expected, including registered exhibitors and conference participants.

The show floor is divided into themed neighborhoods: Intelligent Content, Create, Connect, Capitalize, and the Futures Park innovation zone. This structure makes navigation easier for attendees, but it also means exhibitors need to choose their placement carefully. A cloud rendering startup in the wrong neighborhood risks being buried among broadcast transmitter companies while their ideal prospects browse a different hall entirely.

NAB Show attracts a specific professional profile: broadcast engineers, content creators, studio executives, post-production specialists, streaming platform architects, and media IT managers. According to NAB's own registration data, roughly 35% of attendees hold director-level titles or above, and more than 60% are directly involved in technology purchasing decisions. The international draw is substantial as well, with attendees traveling from over 150 countries. That global reach is particularly valuable for companies selling into the Middle Eastern, Asian, and Latin American broadcast markets.

NAB Show Costs at a Glance

• Booth space: Inline booths start around $47 per square foot; island booths and premium placements can run $55 to $70+ per square foot. A standard 20x20 inline booth (400 sq ft) will cost roughly $18,800 to $22,000 for space alone.
• Build-out and logistics: Budget $30,000 to $60,000 for a mid-tier custom booth with AV demos, rigging, and drayage at the LVCC.
• Hotels: Las Vegas room rates during NAB week average $200 to $350 per night on the Strip, with off-Strip options available starting around $120.
• Total all-in cost for a mid-size exhibitor: $60,000 to $120,000 depending on booth size, staffing, and hospitality spend.

InfoComm 2026: The Professional AV Industry's Home Base

InfoComm 2026, produced by AVIXA (the Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association), takes place June 14 to 20 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The show draws over 44,000 attendees and roughly 900 exhibiting companies across approximately 500,000 square feet of exhibit space.

Where NAB focuses on content creation and distribution, InfoComm is rooted in the deployment side of professional AV: the integrators, consultants, and end users who design, install, and manage AV systems in corporate boardrooms, university lecture halls, houses of worship, live event venues, and retail environments. The attendee base skews heavily toward AV integration firms (approximately 40% of the audience), followed by corporate IT and facilities managers, consultants, and architects.

"InfoComm is where the deals actually close. NAB is where you generate excitement about what's possible. InfoComm is where someone says, 'Okay, give me 200 of those displays and schedule the install for September.'" -- Director of Channel Sales, major display manufacturer (exhibitor at both shows since 2018)

InfoComm's conference program includes AVIXA-certified training courses, manufacturer-led workshops, and the prestigious AV Experience Awards. For exhibitors selling through a channel of dealers and integrators, the education component is critical: many attendees use InfoComm as their annual professional development event, and they arrive with both purchase authority and active project timelines.

InfoComm Costs at a Glance

• Booth space: Rates typically start around $40 per square foot for inline booths, with island and corner booths ranging from $48 to $60 per square foot. A 20x20 inline booth runs roughly $16,000 to $19,200.
• Build-out and logistics: Orlando's convention center is generally more affordable for drayage and labor than Las Vegas. Budget $25,000 to $50,000 for a comparable mid-tier build.
• Hotels: Orlando hotel rates during InfoComm week average $150 to $250 per night along International Drive, with budget-friendly options available from $100.
• Total all-in cost for a mid-size exhibitor: $50,000 to $95,000, roughly 15 to 20% less than an equivalent NAB presence.

Head-to-Head: The Comparison That Matters

Audience Composition

This is the single most important differentiator between the two shows, and it is not subtle. NAB Show attendees are content creators and distributors: the people who produce television, stream live events, edit films, manage broadcast infrastructure, and build media workflows. InfoComm attendees are AV integrators and deployers: the people who install projectors in conference rooms, design digital signage networks, wire up concert venues, and manage unified communications platforms for enterprise clients.

The overlap exists primarily in LED display technology, streaming/encoding hardware, and control systems. If your product is an LED video wall, for example, you will find buyers at both shows, but they will be buying for different reasons. The NAB buyer wants it for a virtual production stage. The InfoComm buyer wants it for a corporate lobby or retail environment.

Geographic Draw and International Reach

NAB Show's international attendance is significantly larger in both absolute numbers and percentage. Roughly 30% of NAB attendees travel from outside the United States, with particularly strong representation from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. For companies that sell into international broadcast markets, NAB is often the single most efficient event for meeting global prospects in one location.

InfoComm draws primarily from North America, with international attendance closer to 15 to 20% of the total. That said, AVIXA runs regional InfoComm events in India, Southeast Asia, China, and other markets, so the global footprint of the InfoComm brand is broader than the Orlando numbers alone suggest.

Competitive Landscape on the Show Floor

NAB Show's 1,700+ exhibitors create a dense competitive environment, particularly in categories like camera systems, streaming software, and cloud media platforms. Standing out requires significant investment in booth presence, pre-show marketing, and on-floor activations. The sheer scale of the LVCC means that foot traffic can be unevenly distributed, and smaller booths in peripheral halls sometimes struggle to attract walk-by visitors.

InfoComm's 900 exhibitors create a more navigable show floor. Attendees can realistically visit a larger percentage of the booths, and smaller exhibitors report better organic traffic. For companies with booth budgets under $50,000, InfoComm often delivers more qualified conversations per dollar simply because the environment is less overwhelming.

ROI Potential and Lead Quality

Exhibitors consistently report that NAB leads have longer sales cycles but higher average deal values. A broadcast infrastructure deal closed through a NAB connection might be worth $500,000 or more, but it could take 6 to 18 months to close. InfoComm leads tend to convert faster because integrators often arrive with active projects and defined timelines, but individual deal sizes in the commercial AV channel are typically smaller, ranging from $10,000 to $200,000.

The math works out differently depending on your sales model. If you sell direct to large media enterprises, the higher deal values at NAB can justify the premium cost. If you sell through a channel of AV dealers and integrators, InfoComm's faster conversion cycles and lower cost of exhibiting often produce a better return on investment within the fiscal year.

Logistics and City Experience

Las Vegas offers unmatched convenience for trade show exhibitors: direct flights from virtually every major city, a massive hospitality infrastructure, and entertainment options that make client dinners and team outings effortless to plan. The downside is cost. Between inflated hotel rates during NAB week, expensive restaurant tabs, and the general Las Vegas premium, your ancillary spending will be higher.

Orlando is more affordable across the board. Hotels along International Drive near the convention center are plentiful and reasonably priced. Dining is less expensive than Vegas. The downside is that the convention center is not walkable from most hotels, meaning you will likely need rental cars or ride-shares for your team, which adds logistical friction. The June timing also means Florida heat and afternoon thunderstorms, which some exhibitors find less appealing than April in the desert.

Where the Two Shows Overlap

Several product categories genuinely straddle both audiences. If you manufacture or sell any of the following, you should evaluate both shows seriously:

• LED and display technology: Video walls, fine-pitch LED, and large-format displays sell into both broadcast studios and commercial installations.
• Streaming and encoding hardware: Live production encoders, NDI-based systems, and streaming appliances serve broadcasters and corporate AV teams alike.
• Control and automation systems: Room control, signal routing, and AV-over-IP platforms are relevant to both broadcast facilities and enterprise conference rooms.
• Audio systems: Microphone arrays, DSP platforms, and amplification gear serve live production, houses of worship, and corporate unified communications.
• Collaboration and UC platforms: Unified communications tools increasingly bridge the gap between media production workflows and enterprise AV deployments.

Companies in these categories that can afford a presence at both shows often report that the two events are complementary rather than redundant. NAB generates awareness and excitement among early adopters and large-scale buyers, while InfoComm drives channel engagement and near-term project pipeline.

The Verdict

There is no universal winner here because these shows serve fundamentally different buyer personas. But if forced to choose, here is the framework that consistently works:

Choose NAB Show if: your primary buyers are broadcasters, media companies, streaming platforms, or content creators. You sell high-value solutions with long sales cycles. You need international exposure, particularly in EMEA and APAC markets. Your competitive strategy depends on launch-moment visibility and industry buzz.

Choose InfoComm if: your primary buyers are AV integrators, corporate IT departments, facilities managers, or consultants. You sell through a dealer or integrator channel. You want faster lead-to-close timelines. Your budget is tighter and you need a more cost-efficient show with a higher ratio of qualified conversations to dollars spent.

Choose both if: your products serve the overlap categories listed above, you have the budget to execute well at two major events, and your sales team can support the lead volume from back-to-back shows in April and June.

For most companies entering the AV/media trade show circuit for the first time, we recommend starting with the show that aligns more closely with your core customer profile. Master one show before splitting your resources across two. A strong, well-staffed 20x20 booth at the right show will outperform a stretched, understaffed presence at both every time.