The 2013 NCAA National
Convention took place January 16-19, 2013 in Grapevine, Texas, where most sessions were held in the Gaylord Texan
Resort & Conference Center. Because of a strong relationships with the NCAA Headquarters, this was
the 13th year that Markey's Rental & Staging has partnered with the NCAA to
provide audiovisual services.
Two high-profile sessions at
this convention were the Keynote Luncheon, featuring former Louisiana State
University All-American and NBA Most Valuable Player Shaquille O'Neal, and the
Association-Wide Inclusion Luncheon. Both were held in the same ballroom,
with two Christie HD12K projectors and 9' x 16' screens, with 2-camera IMAG,
graphics support and video playback through a Grass Valley T2 iDDR. JBL
Vertec Line Arrays provided the sound, along with a DigiDesign SC48 Digital
Audio Console and the Shure Axient Microphone system. ARRI 1Ks supplied
the stage wash, while Martin Mac 700 Profiles provided color and texture to the
5' x 10' upright Plexiglas panels that formed the backdrop to the stage
set. All lighting was controlled with a Jands Vista lighting console.
In addition to the luncheons,
there were 65-70 unique events for which Markey's supplied audiovisual support,
ranging from an LCD monitor in a trade show booth all the way up to the
Division II and Division III Business Sessions with 11.3' x 20' screens, high
definition projection, JBL Vertec line arrays and more.
For this event Markey's
shipped three semi trucks full of gear from the national warehouse in Indianapolis, and a crew of 18 Markey's employees traveled to Grapevine to provide the
professional services. We were supported by a local labor company with
whom we have a long history, so on any given day, there were up to 40 project
managers and technicians to handle all of the moving parts that made up the 2013
NCAA Convention.