Legendary competitive eater Joey Chestnut, who has won the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest 16 times and is the eight-time defending champion, will not be participating in the 2024 event. Chestnut recently signed a deal to represent Impossible Foods, a rival vegan brand to Nathan’s, leading to conflicts with the event’s exclusivity rules regarding endorsing rival brands. Despite efforts to accommodate Chestnut, including agreeing to an appearance fee and allowing him to compete in a rival unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day, organizers were unable to reach an agreement with him and his team.
Major League Eating (MLE) expressed disappointment at Chestnut’s decision not to compete, calling him an American hero and emphasizing their desire to have him return to the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in the future. However, the organization acknowledged that Chestnut and his management team had prioritized the new partnership with a different hot dog brand over their long-time relationship with Nathan’s. Nathan’s has a requirement for competitors not to endorse rival brands, leading to the conflict with Chestnut’s new deal with Impossible Foods.
The iconic Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest has been held in Coney Island, New York, every Independence Day since 1979. Chestnut, a world record holder for most hot dogs and buns eaten, with 76 consumed in 10 minutes in 2021, has been a dominant force at the event for many years. Last year, he won for the 16th time by eating 62 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, 14 more than the second-place finisher. The event has become a highlight of Fourth of July celebrations, drawing crowds and media attention each year.
Reports indicate that Chestnut received a significant payment of $200,000 to participate in the 2023 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, and he was offered a lucrative 4-year, $1.2 million deal. Despite these financial incentives, Chestnut’s decision to represent Impossible Foods and the conflicts with event regulations led to his withdrawal from the 2024 competition. While MLE and Nathan’s expressed their desire for Chestnut to return in the future, the current situation highlights the challenges of balancing sponsorship deals with longstanding event traditions and exclusivity requirements.
As a prominent figure in the world of competitive eating, Joey Chestnut’s absence from the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest will undoubtedly be felt by fans and competitors alike. His record-breaking performances and dominance at the event have made him a standout in the sport, earning him a place as one of the most celebrated competitive eaters in history. The controversy surrounding his decision to represent a rival brand and the subsequent impact on his participation in the competition adds a new chapter to the ongoing story of competitive eating and the evolving landscape of sponsorship and branding in the sport.
