SVG College Sports Media Awards 2025: Entry Window Opens on February 11; New ‘Outstanding Cinematic Recap’ Category Added

Deadline to enter the 17th-annual competition is April 9; ceremony hosted at SVG College Summit on May 28 in Atlanta

The Sports Video Group (SVG) is pleased to announce that the 17th Annual SVG College Sports Media Awards in association with NACDA are back! Now is the chance to see your work celebrated as part of the premier nationwide competition of the very best in college sports video production!

This year’s entry window officially opens on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, with the deadline to enter this year’s competition set for Wednesday, April 9, 2025.

Finalists will be celebrated and winners will be named at the SVG College Sports Media Awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 as part of the 2025 SVG College Summit at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Atlanta.

Important notes for this year’s competition:

• Categories Changes to Special Feature: We have, again, made adjustments to the Special Features categories for this year’s competition. Now, institutions will be able to submit entries in “Outstanding Special Feature” and “Outstanding Cinematic Recap.” See below for further breakdown of these category distinctions.
• Entry Fees: SVG will be reinstating entry fees this year. Every institution receives one free entry in each category. Any additional entries beyond the first will be accompanied by a fee (costs outlined below).
• Students Remain Free: The Collegiate Student division remains free to enter! Institutions will be limited to three entries per category in the Collegiate Student division.

Category Changes

In our consistent attempt to keep these rewards reflective of the current state of media and to ensure categories and divisions are judging videos of consistent artistic style and quality, we are again making tweaks to two of the award categories in this year’s competition.

We have eliminated the two categories entitled “Outstanding Special Feature – Scripted” and “Outstanding Special Feature – Unscripted” in last year’s competition and have replaced them with the following:

Outstanding Special Feature – (time limit of eight (8) minutes per entry) This documentary-style edited video tells the story of a single college sports-related subject matter. These entries can include: current or former student-athletes, teams, staff members, and coaches, as well as parents, siblings, historical events, etc. To qualify, the entry video must be a complete element” with a beginning, middle and end and not an “excerpt” of a longer program.

Outstanding Cinematic Recap – (time limit of eight (8) minutes per entry) This entry is a long-form video that tells the story of a single event, series, or season through original footage shot and highlights obtained of said event. The entry can include voiceovers, quotes, broadcast play-by-play and/or commentary, and other narration. To qualify, the entry must be a continuous segment, excerpt, or the entirety of a finished product as it was distributed and consumed by viewers.

Further details will be outlined when the official rules are published prior to the opening of the entry window.

Entry Fees

For the 2025 competition, every institution’s first entry into any category remains free. Any additional entries in a given category will be charged the following:

• Professional – $100/entry
• Collegiate Conferences and Governing Bodies – First Entry Free; all additional entries $50/entry
• Collegiate Athletics – First Entry Free; all additional entries $50/entry
• Collegiate Student – All entries free/limit three per institution in each category

In the Collegiate Student division, for example, Texas A&M University may enter up to, but no more than, three entries in the Outstanding Live Game category in the Collegiate Student division. They are also permitted, though, to enter up to as many as three in any other Collegiate Student award in which they meet the qualifications for.

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Here is an outline of the awards that will be given in the 2025 SVG College Sports Media Awards in association with NACDA:

• Professional
• Collegiate Conferences and Governing Bodies
• Collegiate Athletics
• Collegiate Student

• Professional
• Collegiate Conferences and Governing Bodies
• Collegiate Athletics – Power
• Collegiate Athletics – Championship
• Collegiate Student – Power
• Collegiate Student – Championship

• Professional
• Collegiate Conferences and Governing Bodies
• Collegiate Athletics – Power
• Collegiate Athletics – Championship
• Collegiate Student – Power
• Collegiate Student – Championship

• Professional
• Collegiate Conferences and Governing Bodies
• Collegiate Athletics – Power
• Collegiate Athletics – Championship
• Collegiate Student – Power
• Collegiate Student – Championship

• Collegiate Conferences and Governing Bodies
• Collegiate Athletics – Power
• Collegiate Athletics – Championship
• Collegiate Student – Power
• Collegiate Student – Championship

If you have any questions regarding new rules or where your entry should be submitted for the 2025 SVG College Sports Media Awards, please email CSMA Chair Tom Buffolano at [email protected] or SVG College Summit Program Director Brandon Costa at [email protected].

MORE: 2024 SVG College Sports Media Awards Winners
MORE: 2024 SVG College Sports Media Awards Finalists