Monday night, news broke that the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had indeed granted a full stay of the lockout injunction, keeping the lockout in place as the appeals process plays out in the NFL's ongoing labor dispute.
A June 3 hearing in St. Louis is scheduled for the appeal of Judge Susan Nelson's ruling in late April that temporarily lifted the lockout. Arguments will be made to a three-judge panel.
The league released a statement regarding Monday's ruling:
"It is now time to devote all of our energy to reaching a comprehensive agreement that will improve the game for the benefit of current and retired players, teams, and, most importantly, the fans. This litigation has taken the parties away from the negotiating table where these issues should be resolved. We remain confident that the appellate court will determine that this is a labor dispute that should be governed by federal labor law. But the league and players, without further delay, should control their own destiny and decide the future of the NFL together through negotiation."
