NFL owners get court win as talks heat up

The US Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals tossed out a judge's ruling that briefly halted the National Football League lockout, handing club owners a legal victory on Friday as talks with players continued. The appeals panel based in St. Louis voted 2-1 to vacate the April 25 decision by US District Judge Susan Richard Nelson in Minneapolis, which said the lockout should be halted because players were suffering irreparable damage. The appeals court had already halted enforcement of her order, allowing the lockout that began in March to reach its 115th day on Friday, when the judges ruled Nelson ignored federal law in her ruling. Billionaire owners and multi-millionaire players have been unable to agree on how to divide $9.3 billion in annual revenues, sparking the first NFL shutdown since 1987. Players decertified the union and pressed an anti-trust case that began in Nelson's court. "The league and the players' union were parties to a collective bargaining agreement for almost eighteen years prior to March 2011," the appeals court decision said. "Then, on a single day, just hours before the CBA's expiration, the union discontinued collective bargaining and disclaimed its status. "Whatever the effect of the union's disclaimer on the league's immunity from antitrust liability, the labor dispute did not suddenly disappear just because the players elected to pursue the dispute through anti-trust litigation rather than collective bargaining." The anti-trust case can still continue if players desire, although its biggest strength now is as leverage in trying to negotiate a new deal. NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith has been the lead negotiator for players in talks with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell that continued Friday and will resume Monday. "While we respect the court's decision, today's ruling does not change our mutual recognition that this matter must be resolved through negotiation," a joint statement from the league and players said. "We are committed to our current discussions and reaching a fair agreement that will benefit all parties for years to come and allow for a full 2011 season." Creating a new financial system that satisfies both owners and players is the task facing negotiators as time deadlines press their talks for the first time with some NFL clubs preparing to open training camps in only two weeks. "We're going to break for the weekend, get back to work next week," Smith said. "We continue to work hard to get something done. I know our fans want us to get something done as quickly as possible." Teams have not yet been able to sign free agents, make trades or contact draft choices as the basics of building a team have been put on hold. Nevertheless, officials have said they hope to play the first pre-season exhibition game as scheduled on August 7 between the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams in Canton, Ohio. The NFL season is set to begin on September 8 with the reigning Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers playing host to the New Orleans Saints.