We have movement on the labor front. Late Wednesday night, Judge Susan R. Nelson officially declined to grant the NFL the temporary stay it requested that would have kept the lockout in place while the NFL appeals Judge Nelson’s ruling in favor of an injunction to block the lockout.
Judge Nelson also ordered the NFL to begin the 2011 league year immediately. She did not, however, put any parameters in place forcing any NFL club to actually make any transactions, but simply ordered that the NFL team facilities be open for business.
Naturally, the NFL is appealing this ruling and asking the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals to grant the stay, claiming that entering into the league year without a CBA in place would cause irreversible damage and confusion once the a new CBA is reached. This ruling could come as early as this afternoon.
While some players were still denied access to weight rooms Thursday, the NFLPA requested that Judge Nelson hold any team that does not allow full access to team facilities in contempt of court. The NFL has now announced that it will allow players full access to team facilities on Friday, and that it is now acceptable for teams to distribute playbooks and begin OTA practices.
ESPN is also reporting that there is currently a memo being circulated to all NFL clubs on how to operate, and that the NFL plans on making a public announcement Friday that will indicate a schedule for the beginning of the 2011 league year and will include the rules that will govern 2011 free agency and player transactions. All indications at this point are that player trades will still not be allowed in tonight’s draft.
This is getting pretty muddled from a legal standpoint, but it seems that we are headed in the right direction. Stay tuned.
*UPDATE: Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 8th circuit court of appeals has requested a briefing on the stay request that will go into next week. No immediate ruling on the temporary stay will happen until then. This means that the lockout will remain lifted, and players will have access to facilities beginning Friday at 7:00 AM CST. The trade situation will remain the same for the draft (no player trades or signings, only pick trades), and free agency could start as early as Monday.*
