More mediated NFL talks held

NEW YORK, June 8 (UPI) -- The NFL said Wednesday mediated labor negotiations had been held again at an undisclosed location and additional talks would take place soon.

Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan presided over the second of two days of negotiations that included NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith executive director of the decertified NFL Players Association.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said on his twitter account that Goodell held a conference call with Tampa Bay season ticket holders Wednesday and told the fans that "talks are going on."

"Both sides are working hard to reach an agreement," Aiello quoted Goodell as saying. "That's a positive step for everybody. We are going to continue to work at it. I believe both sides want to find solutions. It's the objective of everybody involved with the NFL to play a full 2011 season."

Following Wednesday's meeting, a joint statement by the players and owners said they were "engaged in confidential discussions before Chief Magistrate Judge Boylan. The court has ordered continued confidentiality of the mediation sessions."

Those talks reportedly took place in the metropolitan New York area.

The sides are waiting for a ruling by an appeals court in St. Louis on whether the current lockout of players by the owners will be made permanent. The court heard arguments from both sides last week.

The lockout came after the sides could not successfully negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement to replace the one that expired in March.