Image via USA Today Sports
The UFL, and spring football in general, continue to be the front runners of innovation for football whether that is on or off the field.
Over the years, the NFL adopted the XFL's kickoff rules, but even before then, the original XFL's Skycam was brought on by the NFL. Recently, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton spoke about something else the UFL does well that he thinks will eventually come to the NFL: audio and video of officials coming up with rulings on the field.
"I think a number of people feel the same way," Payton said, about the lack of transparency via SportsBoom's Jason La Canfora.
"And I think every once in a while the benefit of this other league we have (UFL), I think quite honestly it’s been helpful for our league …
"Every once in a while you see something you like, and I think Dean Blandino and his crew, when we kick live right to the booth review, I think that’s healthy. And I think you’ll see that in the next two or three years in our league."
"I definitely think you’ll see that coming, and I would agree with you. I think it’s healthy, and it’s certainly comforting for the fan when you can see how they arrive at decisions. And I think it’s fair, especially to the officials and the people doing the review, to see what we arrived at … I think we’ll see that in the next two to three years."
When will the NFL let transparency into the broadcasts like the UFL?
This has been such a big thing in spring football since 2020 with the XFL, USFL, and UFL. Whether it's Blandino or Mike Pereira, hearing their thought process and going over replays has been such a vital part of spring football for years. It's the one thing every fan and media member has been calling for the NFL to add.
What makes it so great is that the UFL can't hide anything from the fans. They can watch on TV to see how Blandino or Pereira come up with a decision. Even if the fans don't always agree with the call from the two, they can at least understand the process, which is important.
Slowly, but surely, the NFL has become more and more open to everything the UFL is offering fans with the product on the field and the broadcast experience. There are other innovations the NFL might have to look at with the UFL like the four-point field goal and adding the names of who is talking at the bottom of the broadcast ticker on ABC/ESPN broadcasts.
UFL fans are excited to see what other kinds of innovations the league can come up with during the offseason and see if the NFL will benefit them.