The NFL plans to go ahead with its annual player draft as scheduled on Thursday while it appeals a federal judge's ruling to lift the league's lockout, a league spokesman said."This draft was part of the expired CBA (collective bargaining agreement)," spokesman Greg Aiello told Reuters while confirming the draft would proceed as planned.
The NFL also is seeking a stay from the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals of Judge Susan Richard Nelson's decision to lift the lockout. It also wants the Eighth Circuit to rule on the league's appeal of her rulings.
Nelson, a Minnesota-based U.S. district court judge, on Wednesday denied the NFL's request for a stay of her Monday ruling that lifted the lockout.
"The NFL has not met its burden for obtaining a stay pending appeal, expedited or otherwise. The league has not made a sufficient showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits," she wrote.
While the court proceedings continue, the NFL has told its 32 clubs to follow current rules and practices until otherwise advised by the league, Aiello said.
But confusion continued other whether players could work out.
"The doors are still closed and as I understand it, they will remain closed until the appeals process is completed," Washington Redskins defensive end Vonnie Holliday told the Washington Post after he and others tried to enter the team's facilities.
A Redskins' spokesman referred Reuters to the league office for comment.
But lawyers representing NFL players in their antitrust lawsuit said the league should be open for business.
"The clubs must open their facilities to allow players to work out, meet with coaches and otherwise perform their jobs; and the NFL and the clubs cannot collectively continue to refuse to deal with players," attorneys James Quinn and Jeffrey Kessler wrote in a letter addressed to NFL players and agents.
It is our view that the NFL and the clubs will be in contempt of court if they do not comply with the order unless and until they hear differently from the Eighth Circuit," the letter added.
Judge Nelson did not explicitly state what rules or conditions the NFL should resume work under but said it was "not overly complex."
"In short, the world of 'chaos' the NFL claims it has been thrust into -- essentially the 'free-market' system this nation otherwise willfully operates under -- is not compelled by this court's order," she wrote.
Whether the Eighth Circuit agrees could take some time.
The NFL, in its request for a stay, suggested May 10 for its opening brief, May 24 for the players' brief and May 31 for the NFL's response with oral arguments as soon as possible.
HEAVY CRITICISM
The labor dispute, dubbed as a row between billionaires and millionaires, has drawn heavy criticism from American media and U.S. President Barack Obama as the two sides squabble over a fortune at a time when thousands of families are struggling to make ends meet.
The sport was plunged into its first work stoppage in almost a quarter of a century when nearly two years of collective bargaining talks between the players' union and the league collapsed last month.
With both sides unable to reach agreement on a range of issues centered around how they should divide more than $9 billion in annual revenues, the players' union decertified, allowing players to take individual action against the NFL.
Nine players, led by high-profile quarterback Tom Brady, filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL and its owners, who responded by imposing the lockout.
League officials had estimated a lockout would cost the game $1 billion by September.
The NFL also is seeking a stay from the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals of Judge Susan Richard Nelson's decision to lift the lockout. It also wants the Eighth Circuit to rule on the league's appeal of her rulings.
Nelson, a Minnesota-based U.S. district court judge, on Wednesday denied the NFL's request for a stay of her Monday ruling that lifted the lockout.
"The NFL has not met its burden for obtaining a stay pending appeal, expedited or otherwise. The league has not made a sufficient showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits," she wrote.
While the court proceedings continue, the NFL has told its 32 clubs to follow current rules and practices until otherwise advised by the league, Aiello said.
But confusion continued other whether players could work out.
"The doors are still closed and as I understand it, they will remain closed until the appeals process is completed," Washington Redskins defensive end Vonnie Holliday told the Washington Post after he and others tried to enter the team's facilities.
A Redskins' spokesman referred Reuters to the league office for comment.
But lawyers representing NFL players in their antitrust lawsuit said the league should be open for business.
"The clubs must open their facilities to allow players to work out, meet with coaches and otherwise perform their jobs; and the NFL and the clubs cannot collectively continue to refuse to deal with players," attorneys James Quinn and Jeffrey Kessler wrote in a letter addressed to NFL players and agents.
It is our view that the NFL and the clubs will be in contempt of court if they do not comply with the order unless and until they hear differently from the Eighth Circuit," the letter added.
Judge Nelson did not explicitly state what rules or conditions the NFL should resume work under but said it was "not overly complex."
"In short, the world of 'chaos' the NFL claims it has been thrust into -- essentially the 'free-market' system this nation otherwise willfully operates under -- is not compelled by this court's order," she wrote.
Whether the Eighth Circuit agrees could take some time.
The NFL, in its request for a stay, suggested May 10 for its opening brief, May 24 for the players' brief and May 31 for the NFL's response with oral arguments as soon as possible.
HEAVY CRITICISM
The labor dispute, dubbed as a row between billionaires and millionaires, has drawn heavy criticism from American media and U.S. President Barack Obama as the two sides squabble over a fortune at a time when thousands of families are struggling to make ends meet.
The sport was plunged into its first work stoppage in almost a quarter of a century when nearly two years of collective bargaining talks between the players' union and the league collapsed last month.
With both sides unable to reach agreement on a range of issues centered around how they should divide more than $9 billion in annual revenues, the players' union decertified, allowing players to take individual action against the NFL.
Nine players, led by high-profile quarterback Tom Brady, filed an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL and its owners, who responded by imposing the lockout.
League officials had estimated a lockout would cost the game $1 billion by September.
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