The Coney Island hot dog eating contest has heated up after organizers of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest denied Joey Chestnut’s claims to “bend the rules,” resulting in the reigning champion being barred from participating in next month’s Barf Bash.
As reported exclusively by The Washington Post, Chestnut lamented that he was “disappointed” by Major League Eating’s decision to block his title defense because he had agreed to be a spokesman for Impossible Foods’ vegan hot dogs.
But the company behind the annual Nathan’s event said Chestnut had no one to blame but himself.
“In exchange for his appearance fee, Joey agreed to a very simple exclusivity agreement each year not to promote or sponsor any other hot dog brands,” an MLE representative told The Post on Wednesday.
“The idea that Nathan’s or MLE changed the rules this year is ridiculous and absurd. They’re paying someone hundreds of thousands of dollars to appear.
And then immediately support a direct competitor?”
The agent continued: “Joey is not banned. Joey chose not to compete at the moment he decided to sign an endorsement deal with one of Nathan’s rivals.”
Chestnut, 40, has an estimated net worth of $4 million. He’s won the Fourth of July event 16 of the last 17 years, and in 2023 he gobbled down 62 hot dogs and buns.
MLE President George Shea called Chestnut’s partnership with Impossible Foods a “disaster” in an interview with 560 WQAM Wednesday morning.
“His representative came to us and told us he’d signed a deal with a plant-based meat company that makes hot dogs, and that was it,” Shea said.
“He didn’t come to us and say, ‘I have another offer, let’s talk.’ He just said, ‘This offer has been signed,’ which made negotiations very difficult.”
Despite the impasse, sources said it is not impossible to reach a settlement by July 4, but the next move will be up to Chesnut.
Chesnutt did not return calls seeking comment.
Meanwhile, adult entertainment site CamSoda has offered Chestnut up to $1 million to headline the platform’s first annual online hot dog eating contest, Weiner Wallop, on the Fourth of July.
There have also been 15 petitions posted saying “Feed Joey.” Change.org.
