Joey Chestnut has been kicked out of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4 at Coney Island for agreeing to endorse plant-based vegan hot dogs.
Major League Eating, which runs the contest, said Chestnut was booted for signing a sponsorship deal with a competing food company, reportedly the famously beef-free Impossible Foods.
“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,” Major League Eating said in a statement posted on social media.
The competition said it would welcome Chestnut — “an American hero” — back with open arms if he returned to their side in the dog fight.
Chestnut addressed the controversy in a statement on social media Tuesday night, but did not directly mention Impossible Foods.
“I was gutted to learn from the media that after 19 years I’m banned from the Nathan’s July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest,” he wrote. “I love competing in that event, I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title.”
“To set the record straight, I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathan’s and they are looking to change the rules from past years as it relates to other partners I can work with,” his statement continued. “This is apparently the basis on which I’m being banned.”
(3/3) Sadly, this is the decision Nathan’s and Major League Eating are making, and it will deprive the great fans of the holiday’s usual joy and entertainment. To my fans, I love you and appreciate you. Rest assured that you’ll see me eat again soon!! STAY HUNGRY!
— Joey Chestnut (@joeyjaws) June 11, 2024
Major League Eating earlier claimed Chestnut was not “banned” from the competition, but he will not be allowed to compete if he continues his Impossible Foods endorsement.
“We would love nothing more than to have him at the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which he has dominated for years,” the organization said. “We hope that he returns when he is not representing a rival brand.”
Though Chestnut is easily the face of the Fourth of July competition — he has won 16 of the past 17 events — Major League Eating has seen beef like this before.
Japanese star Takeru Kobayashi, who won six consecutive competitions between 2001 and 2006, was kicked out in 2010 for refusing to sign the required exclusive endorsement deal.
Kobayashi attended the event as a spectator in 2010, and was dramatically arrested after jumping onstage following Chestnut’s win. All charges against Kobayashi were dropped, but he never returned to the contest, clearing the way for Chestnut’s reign of dominance.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2021
Andrew Schwartz/for New York Daily News Competitive eater Joey Chestnut holds 76 hot dogs after winning the Nathan?s Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island Brooklyn NY on July 4, 2021. (Andrew Schwartz for New York Daily News)
After news broke of Chestnut’s removal from the competition, online commenters shared their anger with both parties.
“This is the single-most absurd thing in the history of competitions everywhere,” one person wrote on X. “Joey is the competition. Joey is the 4th of July. Joey is freedom.”
“Bro, why did you sell out? You have been eating Nathan’s for years,” another wrote on an unrelated Chestnut Instagram post.
Chestnut has not commented on whether he’d consider dropping his reported endorsement deal, but promised fans they’d “see [him] eat again soon!”
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