Joey Chestnut is known as the top competitive eater of all time. He jumped into the sport as a San Jose State student back in 2005 and quickly climbed the ranks, snagging his first big title at the deep-fried asparagus contest. He ended up qualifying for the famous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest and snagged third place that year.
Chestnut really made a name for himself in 2007 when he took down the legendary Takeru Kobayashi by munching on 66 hot dogs and buns in just 12 minutes. That was the start of an amazing run where he snagged the Mustard Yellow Belt a whopping sixteen times up until 2023. Besides just buns, Chestnut has an impressive 55 world records for all sorts of foods, including 103 Krystal burgers in just eight minutes and 182 chicken wings in thirty minutes. So, aside from all those impressive awards, what actually went down with him last year?
Did Joey Chestnut’s Partnership With Impossible Foods Cause The Ban?
The 16-time champion of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest signed a sponsorship deal in mid-2024 with Impossible Foods, the company behind a plant-based hot dog. That move sparked a bit of a showdown with Major League Eating (MLE), which has this exclusivity rule that says contestants at Nathan’s (supported by Nathan’s Famous) can’t represent any competing hot dog brands.
Even though Nathan’s and MLE looked into a carve-out that would let him promote other Impossible products, the no-competing-brand rule stayed in place. So, it turned out that Joey Chestnut wasn’t officially banned from competing. However, MLE did say he couldn’t participate unless he cut ties with the Impossible partnership.
What did MLE and Nathan’s Actually Say About The Decision?
Major League Eating (MLE) and Nathan’s put out a statement that really shows how they felt about the situation with Joey Chestnut. They said, “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.”
They also pointed out that even though they tried really hard to work with Chestnut—like discussing his appearance fees and letting him take part in other unbranded contests—they just couldn’t budge on their long-standing exclusivity agreement with Nathan’s Famous.
MLE also mentioned, “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.” Having said that, they did mention that they were hoping Chestnut would come back once the dispute was over.
How did Chestnut Respond and What Did He Do Instead?
Joey Chestnut showed his disappointment over the ban and shared his feelings on social media. He discussed on Instagram, saying, “I was very disappointed to learn from the media today that after nearly 20 years I am banned from the Nathan’s 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. 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.”
Just to clear things up, the competitive eater mentioned that he doesn’t have an exclusive contract with MLE or Nathan’s. He also pointed out that they seem to be trying to change the rules. He insisted that while their decision might keep him from competing at Coney Island, it doesn’t really impact the overall tradition. “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,” Chestnut said.
Credits – Instagram @joeychestnut
Instead of taking a break, Joey Chestnut decided to stay engaged during the holiday. He took part in a special fundraiser at Fort Bliss, going head-to-head with U.S. Army soldiers and managing to eat 57 hot dogs in just five minutes. His efforts helped raise an impressive $106,000 for military families. He also headlined a Netflix event called Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef, where he went head-to-head live against his long-time rival Takeru Kobayashi on September 2, 2024.
In that showdown, Chestnut really showed what he’s made of by downing an impressive 83 hot dogs. It was a strong statement that he’s not done competing—and winning—even when he’s not on the usual Coney Island stage.
The post Why Was Joey Chestnut Banned From Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2024? Everything You Need to Know appeared first on EssentiallySports.
