Nearly two months late, TNN will officially become a men's channel called Spike TV on Aug. 11. Along with new on-air branding, the Viacom net will debut two programming features that day: twice-daily CBS Marketwatch
financial updates and Zero to Sixty, daily updates on the latest in automotive trends.
A special prime time lineup includes Party With Spike, a celeb-packed special at the Playboy Mansion, and Most Extreme Elimination Challenge,
a spoof on old Japanese game shows. Both were to air June 16, the original launch date, which was scuttled while Viacom tussled with filmmaker Spike Lee over the Spike name.
Also playing Aug. 11, Road to Slamball, a behind-the-scenes special on Spike's extreme-sports league Slamball (a mix of basketball, football and trampoline) and a two-hour, live WWE Raw.
Ride With Funkmaster Flex,
a series on car culture and celebrity hosted by DJ and car enthusiast Funkmaster Flex, bows Aug. 16. Spike plays tribute to the 25th anniversary of Animal House
Aug. 24 with documentary Go Inside: Animal House.
In the works are two shows from startup cabler Football Network: Football 101
and Fantasy Football 2003.
