Judge Susan Nelson has accepted the request made ​​by some NFL players and issued an injunction ordering the team owners to end the lock out that began about a month and a half ago. Judge Nelson declared that the lock out was already inflicting and would have inflicted over time irreparable damage to the players, citing their short careers.

The parties had been heard earlier this month and were ordered to resume mediation until the moment of judgement. Since there was no progress a decision was reached by Judge Nelson and it alters the terms of the clash between NFL players and owners.

The owners have immediately announced their intention to appeal but in the meantime the players were warned that from today they should go to the team facilities to begin their training. The NFL spokesman said that players will be allowed into the facilities.

What will happen now? After a month and a half of lock out where at least apparently nothing has happened this ruling is the first major event but it’s only the first battle in what could be a long legal war. Obviously the NFL teams owners believe they have legal ground to win the appeal but honestly I don’t have the competence to assess those legal technicalities.

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Since we’re talking about football we can say that the players have scored the first touch down of this game. Now the ball goes to the owners: they could score as well but they might have to settle for a field goal or they could be stopped by their opponents or the referees, which in this case will be the judges of the Court of Appeal.

Regardless of which will be the next courts rulings however it’s clear that it will be a temporary solution and that sooner or later the two sides will have to settle for a new collective bargaining agreement. The fact is that obviously the side that will get the final victory in the legal war will deal from a position of strength. Basically the legal activity that began shortly after the start of the lock out isn’t meant to solve the problem but to find a stronger bargaining position.

Once again let’s remember that if the season shouldn’t begin fans, players who don’t have multimillion-dollar contracts and people who are working thanks to the NFL games will be the ones who’ll have the most to lose.