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Viacom announced today that Spike (formerly SpikeTV) will change its name to The Paramount Network under a reorganization plan for all of the company's cable networks.
The new version of the network will feature Spike was touting as becoming "Viacom’s premier general entertainment brand" by Viacom CEO Bob Baskish, according to Deadline.com and is listed as offering the best in Viacom "original scripted and non-scripted programming, and incorporate even more high-quality original and third party programming.”
The network has had a long history of carrying professional wrestling, dating back to its days as The Nashville Network, when it picked up Extreme Championship Wrestling in August 1999. The network canceled the series a little over a year later, instead signing a major deal that brought WWE programming from the USA Network. When WWE departed, then-TNA owner Dixie Carter was able to convince Spike execs to bring on TNA as late night Saturday programming with TNA eventually building itself into a two hour prime-time series before the network dropped the company in 2014.
Spike has also carried a lot of MMA programming, bringing in UFC and its reality series The Ultimate Fighter and providing a home for the company to springboard from near extinction to massive international company. After UFC departed for FOX, Spike purchased a piece of BELLATOR.
Spike has reached out and had discussions with different companies about doing quarterly specials and even weekly pro wrestling series, but did not come to terms with any of them. Whether this re-branding could change any future interest in acquiring future professional wrestling programming.
Thanks to Paul Jordan.
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