In light of a lawsuit from the owners of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Kid Rock has renamed his 2018 tour. The artist’s upcoming trek will now be known as the American Rock ‘n’ Roll Tour, rather than the Greatest Show on Earth Tour.
According to Pollstar, Rock has officially renamed his tour and changed all of its signage and advertising. However, the lawsuit, from Feld Entertainment Group, is still pending, a representative reports. The copyright infringement lawsuit takes issue with Rock’s use of the trademarked phrase “The Greatest Show on Earth” without the permission of its owners.
While the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was taken off the tour circuit last year, after 146 years of touring, Feld Entertainment retained all intellectual property rights pertaining to the historic show, including its famous tagline. Therefore, Feld Entertainment Group is suing Rock (aka Robert James Ritchie) and Live Nation for the use of the phrase.
“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,” says Feld Entertainment Group chairman / CEO Kenneth Feld. “The 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.”
Felt Entertainment Group says that its trademarked tagline has been licensed out to other users before, but Rock did not submit a request. The lawsuit seeks an order that would prevent Rock from using the tagline as a tour name or selling merchandise with the catchphrase. Both “Greatest Show on Earth” and “American Rock ‘n’ Roll” are songs on Rock’s newest album, Sweet Southern Sugar.
Rock’s American Rock ‘n’ Roll Tour is scheduled to begin in Nashville on Jan. 19.
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