Joey Chestnut, the undisputed champion of hot-dog consuming for all however one of many final 17 years — the proverbial winner of the wieners for practically 20 years — will not compete on this yr’s Nathan’s Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest, a July 4 custom going again greater than half a century.
That’s as a result of Chestnut not too long ago signed a deal to turn into a spokesperson for Unattainable Meals, the plant-based meat firm. And that is the Nathan’s Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest — which means shilling for one more model is in opposition to the foundations.
The governing physique of the NHDEC, Main League Consuming, launched this assertion about this stunning flip of occasions:
We’re devastated to be taught that Joey Chestnut has chosen to characterize a rival model that sells plant-based sizzling canine relatively than competing within the 2024 Nathan’s Well-known Fourth of July Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest. MLE and Nathan’s went to nice lengths in latest months to accommodate Joey and his administration staff, agreeing to the looks payment and permitting Joey to compete in a rival unbranded sizzling canine consuming contest on Labor Day. For practically 20 years we have now labored underneath the identical fundamental sizzling canine exclusivity provisions. Nonetheless, evidently Joey and his managers have prioritized a brand new partnership with a unique sizzling canine model over our long-time relationship.
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Chestnut has gained each Nathan’s Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest since 2007, besides one; he was briefly dethroned in 2015 by rival canine chomper Matt Stonie in 2015. Chestnut returned to dominance in 2016 and gained yearly since. Final July 4, he topped the competitors by consuming 62 sizzling canine and buns in 12 minutes. He at the moment holds the competition’s all-time file, with 76 sizzling canine and buns, which he achieved in 2021. That’s simply bonkers.
In accordance with The Hollywood Reporter, Chestnut will as a substitute seem on an upstart sizzling canine consuming competitors on Netflix over Labor Day weekend.
You may watch the Chestnut-less July 4th Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest on ESPN. I suppose Chestnut’s absence does make the sector a bit extra aggressive for the primary time in a very long time. Different aggressive eaters will lastly have an opportunity to ketchup to some of Chestnut’s data.
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