Spike, soon to be rebranded the Paramount Network, is an American channel that houses some great shows. A quick look at the line-up and you can tell it is heavily geared for reality based TV shows. The channel has been around for some time, but not always as it is now. If you live in the US and have a cable or satellite subscription, you can go to the website to login and watch. If you are traveling abroad or don’t live inside the US, you’ll need to use a VPN to get around geo-restrictions that the network has in place.
Best VPN to Watch Spike (Paramount Network) Outside the USA
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
Let’s take a look at an option to watch the channel online. If you live in the US then a cable or satellite subscription will give you access to Spike. If you live elsewhere, there is one OTT (Over-The Top) service where you can find the channel. SlingTV includes it as part of it’s service. That is where using a VPN would be helpful. If you haven’t tried Sling TV yet then you can sign up for a 7 day free trial.
If you are signing up for the Sling TV service we mentioned and live outside the US or traveling overseas, you will want to connect to a US VPN server first. Then, you would need to stay connected or reconnect to watch it. The same could be said if you do have a cable or satellite subscription.
Spike is not new. The channel started originally as The Nashville Network in 1983, and was broadcast from the now defunct Opryland USA theme park. It featured and showcased country living, as well as country music videos. Some considered it to be the country version of MTV. Shows included Nashville Now, the Statler Brothers show, the Grand Old Opry Live, American Sports Cavalcade, the White Horse Cafe, and a few more.
In 2000, the channel’s name was changed to The National Network, and their country – western programming was scaled back. The change represented a shift in focus to appeal to a greater audience. The rights to the WWE (then the WWF) were also purchased, as well as NCAA Division 1 Basketball and Arena League Football. Those actions were designed to compete with the USA network.
In 2003, the channel was rebranded as SpikeTV. That lasted until 2006 when the network name was just called Spike. A brief lawsuit filed by director Spike Lee stated that the network name was a reference to him. Since it’s early days, the station has brought forward great shows like Ink Master, Bar Rescue, Bellator MMA, Cops, and various other shows. It is said that the station is mostly geared at men. You can expect to see another change coming in 2018 as the channel is being rebranded once again to the Paramount Network. We’re not sure what they’re plan is for programming on the new channel.