For the first time in more than 15 years, reigning national hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut will be unable to compete in New York’s annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest after violating his contract with Frankfurter Co. to represent a company that makes vegan hot dogs.
Chestnut is one of the biggest names in competitive eating, having won the Nathan’s event every year since 2016. New York Post report.
But unfortunately, that’s not possible this year.
Nathan’s announced that it would no longer press Chestnut for its demands, after he finally went too far by signing on to promote meatless hot dogs made by plant-based food company Impossible Foods.
Major League Eating, the organization that oversees Nathan’s events, said it made various concessions to Chestnut to be able to attend the New York event, including allowing him to film a Netflix special about a non-Nathan’s competition, paying him $200,000 for his participation last year and even offering him a four-year $1.4 million sponsorship deal.
But when they turned to non-meat brands, that was the final straw.
“We are saddened to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs instead of competing in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” MLE said in a statement.
“MLE and Nathans went to great lengths to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to an appearance fee and allowing Joey to participate in an unnamed rival hot dog eating contest on Labor Day,” they added.
Joey Chestnut reacts after eating 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes and winning the 2022 Nathan’s Famous Independence Day International Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York on July 4, 2022. (Kenna Betancourt/Getty Images)
“For nearly two decades, we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity agreement. However, it appears that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new affiliation with another brand over our longstanding relationship,” the statement continued.
“Joey Chestnut is an American hero and we would love nothing more than to have him participate in the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. We hope he will return once he is no longer representing a rival brand,” MLE concluded.
Chestnut has yet to comment on being excluded from this year’s Nathan’s tournament.
Chestnut made headlines in 2022 when he knocked down an animal rights activist who was trying to get onstage at the 15th annual Nathan’s event.
When the animal rights activist pushed Chestnut away, in front of the onstage audience, Champion grabbed the intruder by the throat and slammed him to the ground.
Chestnut completely defeated him. pic.twitter.com/dry7Oy8KZK
— Jonah Block (@JonahBlock05) July 4, 2022
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