NEW YORK -Joey Chestnut, the reigning and defending champion of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest and holder of the coveted Mustard Yellow Belt, is out of this year’s competition, organizers said Tuesday.
It involves Chestnut’s partnership with a rival brand that sells vegetable hotdogs.
“We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than participate in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” Major League Eating said in a statement. a statement. “MLE and Nathan have gone to great lengths in recent months to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to participate in a rival off-brand hot dog eating contest on Labor Day. Nearly twenty For years we have operated under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it appears that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with another hot dog brand over our long-term relationship.
The news seemed hard to swallow for MLE.
“Joey Chestnut is an American hero. 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. We hope he returns when he is not representing a rival brand,” said MLE. said in their statement.
Chestnut is a 16-time “chompion” after winning the 2023 competition with 62 hot dogs. He has consistently won the competition since 2007, with the exception of 2015, when his 60 hot dogs were led by Matthew Stonie, who ate 62. Chestnut also holds the all-time recordwhich he recorded in 2021, of 76 hot dogs.
With Chestnut out of the competition and Takeru Kobayashi announcing his retirement from competitive eating, it looks like it will be a wide open field for the men at this year’s competition.
Miki Sudo is the defending women’s champion, having won nine of the last ten years in her division, and holds the women’s world record with 48.5 hot dogs, which she set in 2020.
The contest dates back to 1916. The contest is held every year on the 4th of July at Nathan’s Hot Dog stand at Surf and Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island.
