Spike TV To Launch August 11

TNN has set a start date for its manly makeover: August 11.

The cable network, the home of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation reruns, will be officially rebranded Spike TV on that day, the Reuters news agency reported. The name change is part of the network's efforts to become "the first network for men".

"August 11 is Spike TV Day," said network president Albie Hecht. "Men all across this great land should feel empowered to leave the toilet seat up."

Spike TV had planned to launch on June 16, until Oscar-nominated film director Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing) put a spanner in the works. Lee sued Viacom, the parent company of TNN/Spike TV for infringement, claiming the name "Spike" was indelibly associated with him. The director and Viacom settled out of court earlier this month.

And what will Spike TV have to offer holders of the XY chromosome in addition to Grissom and his team of CSIs? Men can watch babes bound along the beach in Baywatch or tune in for a some sci-fi action in Star Trek: The Next Generation. There's also the self-explanatory animated series, Stripperella and oodles of sports shows with names like SlamBall and Trucks!.

TNN reportedly paid $1.6 million an episode to secure the rerun rights for CSI in 2002. The rights to spin-off CSI: Miami were snapped up by the A&E network earlier this year (story).

The original Reuters article is available here at Yahoo! News.

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