Should fans be present if and when the N.F.L. and the players union continue face-to-face negotiations on a new labor contract?

The Sports Fans Coalition thinks so, arguing that there are three parties, not two, with serious stakes – economic and otherwise — in the talks: the league, the players and everyone else.

The Sports Fans Coalition sent a letter to the N.F.L. commissioner, Roger Goodell, and the N.F.L. Players Association executive director, DeMaurice Smith, on Tuesday afternoon, requesting that its representatives be present at all future negotiating sessions.

They did not ask for a voice at the talks, just a chance to witness them, to “inform fans across the country about the state of ongoing negotiations and ensure that progress is being made towards an agreement that ensures a central consideration of fans,” as the letter stated.

While such a wish is unlikely to be granted, leaders of the coalition believe it makes perfect sense. The nonprofit group based in Washington was formed in 2009 and is taking a more active role in recent months in sports controversies that have an impact on fans. Leaders of the group believe that fans are as much a key ingredient to the success of the N.F.L. as its owners and players.

After all, they reason, fans buy the tickets and taxpayers paid for many of the stadiums.

Thousands of workers could be impacted by a work stoppage. The role of “fans” is deeper than simply serving as an audience on Sunday afternoons.

Because of that, the group’s executive director, Brian Frederick, and chairman, David Goodfriend, argue, fans should be able to see the proceedings unfold.

“As fans and taxpayers, we have invested over $6.5 billion around the country on N.F.L. stadiums, in addition to the billions we have spent on tickets and N.F.L. merchandise,” the Sports Fans Coalition wrote to the two executives. “We have transformed our urban centers with the promise that new stadiums would serve as an economic boon to the surrounding community. A work stoppage would be devastating to many cities, including local workers and businesses.

“The N.F.L. and other professional sports leagues also enjoy an exemption from federal antitrust statutes with respect to negotiating broadcast rights, which has enabled the owners and players to make significant revenues.

“If the N.F.L. and N.F.L.P.A. cannot come to an agreement and a devastating work stoppage is the result, the public has a right to know why.”

As it stands, the only news from the on-and-off negotiations comes in sound bites and leaked information from the two opposing sides. It is hard to imagine that they would agree to welcome a third party to the private debate.

But it would be quite compelling if one of the sides said yes to the request.