While P.T. Barnum once claimed, "There is no such thing as bad publicity," there is such a thing as trademark infringement, and Kid Rock is currently facing some legal ramifications from Feld Entertainment, the owners of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. According to Billboard, Feld Entertainment is suing Rock and promoters Live Nation over the usage of "The Greatest Show on Earth" for Rock's touring without getting proper permission.

The Barnum & Bailey Circus, which has used the tagline for many years, ended their touring run this past year, but Feld still retains all the intellectual property surrounding the circus. They claim that the singer nor the promoter asked for permission when announcing Rock's 2018 "Greatest Show on Earth" arena tour and they are seeking an order stopping Rock from using the moniker for the run or selling merchandise with the tagline.

“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," said Kenneth Feld, chairman/CEO of Feld Entertainment in a statement provided to Billboard. "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."

While there are official licensees of the "Ringling Bros." and "The Greatest Show on Earth," Rock is reportedly not one of them. General counsel Lisa Joiner told Billboard that no one from Rock's camp had reached out concerning the usage of the title.

Kid Rock released his Sweet Southern Sugar album earlier this fall and also issued a song called "Greatest Show on Earth" earlier in 2017. He'll begin his tour with support act A Thousand Horses on Jan. 19 in Nashville, following a New Year's Eve show in Kansas City. See all of Kid Rock's tour dates here.

Top 10 Most WTF Moments of 2017

More From KZCD-FM