Anyone who has ever visited a Ringling Bros. Circus has probably heard the phrase, ‘Greatest Show on Earth.’ After all, the phrase itself is a trademark of the popular Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which is why a recent announcement about Kid Rock’s upcoming tour sparked a trademark infringement lawsuit. According to the announcement, Kid Rock’s upcoming tour is named the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ tour, and that’s not sitting well with the circus owners.
Anyone who has ever visited a Ringling Bros. Circus has probably heard the phrase, ‘Greatest Show on Earth.’ After all, the phrase itself is a trademark of the popular Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, which is why a recent announcement about Kid Rock’s upcoming tour sparked a trademark infringement lawsuit. According to the announcement, Kid Rock’s upcoming tour is named the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ tour, and that’s not sitting well with the circus owners.
In addition to Kid Rock, the federal trademark dilution lawsuit also names Live Nation. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the lawsuit alleges that “Rock and Live Nation were not authorized to use the now-dormant circus’ well-known slogan for the 2018 trek.”
When commenting on the pending litigation and why Ringling Bros. decided to file the lawsuit, Kenneth Feld, Feld Entertainment Chairman and CEO said:
“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. 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.”
Lisa Joiner, general counsel for Feld Entertainment also chimed in, saying:
“We have authorized licensees for ‘Ringling Bros.’ and ‘The Greatest Show on Earth,’ but Kid Rock is not one of them. Feld Entertainment was not contacted by Kid Rock (or anybody else on his behalf) regarding his use of Feld Entertainment’s trademark.”
So what companies are allowed to use the slogan? Well, as Feld Entertainment points out in the lawsuit, the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ slogan is a “celebrated and valuable trademark, which has been licensed to companies like Chick-Fil-A and Metro PCS.” For now, the lawsuit is hoping for the “immediate discontinuation of Rock’s use of the slogan, profits derived from merchandise bearing the slogan, and unspecified damages.”
How has Kid Rock responded to the accusations, though? Well, so far representatives for Rock haven’t responded to requests for comment, and the singer’s Twitter page is still advertising his upcoming tour using the ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ slogan. The tour is expected to kick off later this month in Kansas City and will run until mid-April.
Live Nation has also refused to comment on the matter.
What do you think? Should Kid Rock have to rename his tour?
Sources:
Kid Rock Faces Lawsuit From Circus Owners Over ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ Tour
Kid Rock Faces Lawsuit From Circus Owners Over ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ Tour
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