The NFL wanted to delay until July 6 its deadline for formally responding to the civil complaint in the Tom Brady antitrust lawsuit. The league explained that, with the Eighth Circuit taking up the question of whether the lockout will be lifted on June 3, the ruling will impact the response to the specific allegations made when the case was filed.
The federal court in Minnesota disagreed. According to Daniel Kaplan of SportsBusiness Journal, the response is now due on June 6, the Monday after the Eighth Circuit hearing.
So, essentially, the court didn’t buy the notion that the ruling will impact the league’s response. And the court is right; the case will continue no matter what happens after June 3. Once a ruling is issued by the Eighth Circuit, the league can filing new papers based on the outcome.