SALVO, North Carolina - NFL players asked a federal judge on Wednesday to deny the league's request to stay an order lifting a lockout, saying it is necessary to ensure America's most popular sport has a 2011 season.

"This is the only way to preserve the 2011 season announced by the NFL, given the need to sign free agents, to complete the NFL draft and sign drafted players, to plan and to hold training camp, and to plan for the season itself," NFL Players Association (NFLPA) general counsel Richard Berthelsen said in declaration filed with the US district court in Minnesota.

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Berthelsen said a stay of the injunction and continuation of the lockout would be a detriment to players and NFL clubs, as the league will lose money during a lockout.

Judge Susan Richard Nelson requested the players' filings after the NFL sought a stay of her ruling this week lifting the lockout. The league also appealed her ruling to the Eighth US Circuit Court of Appeals.

The league has said the lockout is necessary until clear rules are established for the 2011 season. It has until late Wednesday to respond.

If the lockout remains in place, the NFL should post a $1 billion bond, which represents roughly 25 percent of the amount the players were compensated last year, attorneys for the players said in their filing.

"(It) is an appropriate amount given the uncertainty of the timing or outcome of the Eighth Circuit's ruling on the NFL defendants' appeal," the players' lawyers said.

Judge Nelson was expected to rule either Wednesday or Thursday on both the league's request for a stay and the players' filing for a clarification of her Monday ruling.

Confusion over the ruling developed on Tuesday when a handful of players went to their team's training facilities. Some were allowed to train and others turned away.