Hearing Date Set for NFL Players’ Anti-Trust Lawsuit

After the National Football League’s (NFL) players’ union took the decision to decertify, which in turn led the league to enforce a lockout against its athletes, an antitrust suit was filed by a collection of the NFL’s top stars to represent players against the League was issued. It has since been revealed that the case will be heard on April 6 in a federal court in Minnesota.

Top quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees are leading a ten-strong group which has filed a class suit against the league following the breakdown in talks on a new collective bargaining agreement on Friday.

The collapse in talks came after the NFL Players’ Association decertified on Friday, and the League subsequently locked out the players on Saturday.

The April 6 hearing is to be heard by Judge Susan Nelson, and the players are expected to ask for an injunction against the lockout declared by the NFL. Nelson was the third judge assigned to the case after two previous judges recused themselves.

If the court grants injunctive relief to the players, the lockout could be invalidated and League operations could resume. All operations between players and teams, including free agency moves, are currently on hold, and if the lockout remains in place it could jeopardise the start of next season.