The UFL crowd in St. Louis was getting spicy last week. The hometown Battlehawks had just settled for a 38-yard field goal against the Columbus Aviators, having failed to convert a third down after an apparent pass interference foul had gone uncalled.
So when the FOX broadcast came back from a commercial break, it took a step that was unprecedented in pro football. Sideline reporter Brock Huard conducted a brief in-game interview with the official closest to the play, a notable advancement of the UFL's efforts to establish transparency in its officiating decisions.
It's one thing to listen in on officiating discussions, as spring football broadcasts have done for years. It's quite another to hear from officials themselves, who typically only speak publicly via pool reports or written statements after games.