News Brief: When it comes to the U.S. military, football trumps the government shutdown, even without Boeing’s help. The American Forces Network essentially went off the air once this weekend’s shutdown took effect, which suggested that it wouldn’t be airing NFL football playoffs for overseas military families. That sparked an outcry, and an offer from Boeing to “do whatever needed” to get the games on the air. In the end, the Department of Defense gave the go-ahead to revive two channels, AFN News and AFN Sports, and broadcast today’s conference championships. Boeing, meanwhile, got a nice tweet-out from White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
.@CBS @FOXTV @NFL @POTUS — #Boeing here to help do whatever needed to show the #NFLPlayoffs on @AFNTelevision to our troops EVERYWHERE. Let us know! ??????
— The Boeing Company (@Boeing) January 21, 2018
Thank you for being willing but we were just informed AFN has been restored! https://t.co/PI2f8L5UMh
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) January 21, 2018
Nice work!! ?? Happy to hear our troops will be able to watch the #NFLPlayoffs ?. Something all Americans can agree on! ?? https://t.co/Xhk8fWuju0
— The Boeing Company (@Boeing) January 21, 2018
This is an updated version of an item that was first published at 9:17 p.m. PT Jan. 20.