Overseas Troops Cannot Watch NFL Playoffs During Government Shutdown

As Republicans and Democrats try to figure out a plan of action during the first full day of the United States federal government shutdown, one large segment of the government’s employees face a unique, inconvenient issue. Due to the way a government shutdown works, the TV network that carries NFL playoff games for troops overseas will not operate until further notice.

That means football fans in America’s armed forces will have to find another way to watch the AFC and NFC championship games on Sunday, Stars and Stripes reported. The American Forces Network, which is a TV channel specifically for troops outside the U.S. broadcast market, will be out of commission until a deal is in place to get the government running again.

As ProFootballTalk pointed out, there will still be ways for service members to watch the games online, but that does not count for much for those stationed in places without fast internet. AFN must count as a non-essential service, as anything deemed essential for everyday living in the U.S. continues to function as normal during a government shutdown.

This is a major inconvenience for any troops who want to see the New England Patriots take on the surprising Jacksonville Jaguars, or the miraculous Minnesota Vikings play the top-seeded Philadelphia Eagles in their quest to become the first team to ever play a Super Bowl in their home stadium in Minneapolis.

However, if congress does not strike a deal to get things back to normal within a couple of weeks, there will be bigger problems for the armed forces; though they will still be required to work, they will not get paid after Feb. 1 during a government shutdown, CNN reported. The shutdown’s effect on the military has been a major talking point for the Trump administration. It is possible, as was the case during the 2013 shutdown, that a side deal could be struck to keep the military paid before the shutdown ends.