Joey Chestnut Will Not Compete In 2024 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

The biggest news of the day comes from the world of competitive eating. Joey Chestnut is out of the 2024 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, the NY Post reported Tuesday. Find out why Chestnut won't compete in this year's contest.

Joey Chestnut To Not Compete In 2024 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

Major League Eating addresses Joey Chestnut's choice to represent a rival brand, expressing disappointment and hope for his return to Nathan’s Famous. pic.twitter.com/NrbK4aRUc8

— Major League Eating (@eatingcontest) June 11, 2024

Chesnut, a 16-time champion of the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, is out of the 2024 contest due to a dispute over a sponsorship agreement. Chestnut recently signed a brand deal with Impossible Foods to endorse a vegan hot dog made from plants.

Impossible Foods is a rival to Nathan's. Chestnut cannot represent another hot dog brand and compete in the contest.

In The NY Post's report, a rep for Major League Eating (MLE) said the organizers “bent over backwards to meet Chestnut’s various demands.”

Chestnut was reportedly offered a four-year, $1.2 million contract to compete in the hot dog eating contest. However, Chesnut will not be allowed in the contest while representing Impossible Foods.

“He’s the Michael Jordan of competitive eating,” an MLE rep told the NY Post. “But imagine if Michael Jordan said to Nike, ‘I love being the face of Nike but I want to do commercials for Adidas too.'”

Major League Eating Releases Statement

To address the biggest news of the day...

Despite reports, Joey Chestnut is NOT BANNED from the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. He made an endorsement decision to support a competitor.

Major League Eating still hopes he'll change course.

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) June 11, 2024

“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.

“MLE and Nathan's went to great lengths in recent months to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day. For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different hot dog brand over our long-time relationship.”

Chesnut has won every hot dog eating contest since 2016. Chesnut ate 62 hot dogs to win the 2023 event. There is some hope, as MLE left the door open for Chestnut to compete in this year's contest on July 4 in Coney Island, New York.

“Joey Chestnut is an American hero,” MLE wrote. “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 that he returns when he is not representing a rival brand.”