Kid Rock is about to start touring the world as part of "Greatest Show on Earth," a series of concerts that will kick off in 2018. However, the rockstar is currently facing a lawsuit filed by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
Kid Rock's Tour
The dormant circus company did not authorize Kid Rock nor Live Nation to use its slogan for the singer's upcoming North American tour. Therefore, the "Born Free" singer has infringed on their trademark.
"This historic trademark has been an important part of Ringling Bros. for the past century, and it is recognized as a trusted and iconic brand of family-friendly entertainment," Kenneth Feld, chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment Chairman, said in a statement. "Thre Greatest Show On Earth continues to live on and will do so well into the future. We have no intention of surrendering the trademark or allowing it to be tarnished."
Feld added that the company has authorized the use of "The Greatest Show On Earth" like Chick-Fil-A and Metro PCS, but Rock's concert tour is not one of them. The singer-songwriter has not reached out to Feld Entertainment regarding the use of the slogan for his series of shows.
Live Nation, which was also named in the lawsuit, refused to comment on pending investigations, Rolling Stone notes. Rock has not issued a statement as of this writing.
Rock's "Greatest Show on Earth" tour will kick off on Dec. 31, New Year's Eve, in Kansas City. It will stop by Tennessee, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Florida, South Dakota, Oregon, and Canada.
The tour is meant to promote his new album, Sweet Southern Sugar, which was released in 2017. See his full North American concert schedule here.
The lawsuit aims to immediately bring a stop to Rock and Live Nation's use of the slogan on their tour, profits derived from merchandise bearing the slogan, and other damages. It was filed in the district court located in Tampa.
End Of Tour
After 150 years, Feld Entertainment brought a stop to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus show in New York City. The company finally caved after facing backlash and criticism from activists for using animals, especially elephants as featured attractions.
The circus has been experiencing declining ticket sales but there has been a more dramatic drop when they were forced to stop using live elephants during performances. The circus ended its century-old show in May this year.
