Lititz VFW sticks to decision not to air NFL games, won't show the Super Bowl - LancasterOnline

Just because the Eagles are in the Super Bowl doesn't mean a Lititz veterans group is breaking its pact not to air National Football League games this year.

In response to players kneeling during the national anthem a few weeks into the season, Lititz Veterans of Foreign Affairs Post 1463 was one of a few in Lancaster County that said it would stop playing NFL games.

"That decisions still stands. We have not shown and will not be showing any NFL games," manager Vanessa Sytle said Thursday.

The post's six-member board said it viewed the action as a protest against veterans, even though players who kneeled generally said they were doing so to protest police brutality and racial inequality.

"We do have a lot of Eagles fans, but they definitely understand why we decided what we are doing," Sytle said.

Two other veterans associations in Lancaster County that previously said they would stop playing the games will show the Super Bowl.

Marietta Legion Post 446 stopped playing NFL games for several weeks in the fall, said a man who answered the post's phone but declined to give his name Thursday.

"After Veterans Day, we put it back on because our patrons kinda demanded it," the man said.

The legion's Facebook page includes a Super Bowl party event Sunday.

A couple people have asked (if we would air it), and since it's a local team, we said, 'Yeah, we can make an exception.'

"A couple people have asked (if we would air it), and since it's a local team, we said, 'Yeah, we can make an exception.'"

The big game will be shown at Manheim Post 5956, too, according to commander Ben Soult — but not until after kickoff.

"We're gonna turn it on after the kickoff so we wouldn't have to watch any of the stuff they're doing," Soult said, referring to the potential for players to take a knee during the national anthem.

There are a lot of Eagles fans at the 800-member post, he said.

"A couple people have asked (if we would air it), and since it's a local team, we said, 'Yeah, we can make an exception.' "

Soult, who served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1971, said he hasn't decided whether he will watch the game or not.

The board of the Lititz VFW also was not happy about the NFL's announcement that it wouldn't air a commercial from the American Veterans that asked people to stand during the national anthem, Sytle said.

On Sunday the post will have its usual special on wings, she said.

"Anybody that's not interested in watching the Super Bowl can come," Sytle said.

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