June 11th 2024.
In a surprising turn of events, renowned hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut will not be participating in this year's highly anticipated Nathan's hot dog eating contest. It seems that Chestnut has struck a deal with a plant-based food company called Impossible Foods, causing quite a stir in the competitive eating community.
The Major League Eating organization, which oversees the Nathan's contest, expressed their disappointment in Chestnut's decision. In a statement, they said, "We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest." This news has left fans and organizers alike in shock, as Chestnut has been a dominant force in the competition for 16 years, holding the coveted "Mustard Yellow Belt" and breaking the world record by consuming 76 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes in 2021. His success has also brought him immense financial gain, with reports stating that he has earned hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars from his competitive eating career.
Michael Shea, co-founder of MLE, revealed that they had tried to accommodate Chestnut and his management team, even allowing him to compete in a rival unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day. However, it is a long-standing rule for competitors not to represent a rival brand, similar to how Michael Jordan cannot endorse Adidas while still promoting his own brand. This rule was put in place to maintain the integrity of the competition.
Despite this turn of events, the MLE organization has made it clear that Chestnut is not banned from competing for life. They acknowledge his 20-year relationship with the league and state that he can make a comeback if he renounces deals with brands that compete with Nathan's. In a statement, they said, "Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him at Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which he has dominated for years. We hope that he returns when he is not representing a rival brand."
This is not the first time that Nathan's has had a dispute with their winners. In 2010, Chestnut's rival and former reigning champion, Takeru Kobayashi, did not compete in the contest due to disagreements with the company over an exclusive contract. It seems that Nathan's has a strict policy when it comes to their brand representation, which has caused tension with some of their top competitors.
Neither Joey Chestnut, Nathan's, nor its parent company, Smithfield Foods, have responded to requests for comment. Additionally, Impossible Foods declined to comment on the matter. This unexpected turn of events has left fans and organizers wondering about the future of the Nathan's hot dog eating contest and whether Chestnut will return to defend his title in the future. Only time will tell how this will all unfold.
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