Joey Chestnut, 16-Time Winner Of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Banned From Competition After Endorsing Plant-Based Dogs

The reigning champion of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, Joey Chestnut, will not participate in this year’s Fourth of July event. 

Major League Eating (MLE), the organization overseeing the annual competition, announced the decision on Tuesday and cited Chestnut’s decision to “represent another hot dog brand.”

Chestnut, affectionately known as “Jaws,” has been the dominant force in Nathan’s contest and has won the title a remarkable 16 times. His absence from the event, held at Coney Island in New York City, has disappointed both organizers and fans.

According to an MLE spokesperson, Chestnut agreed to a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, a company that produces plant-based hot dogs, which is seen as a direct competitor to Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs. This move has prompted MLE to bar Chestnut from participating in the iconic event.

“It would be like Michael Jordan saying to Nike, ‘I’m going to represent Adidas, too,'” explained MLE event organizer George Shea.

In his own statement on X, Chestnut expressed his dismay at the decision and stated that he is “gutted” to miss the competition. The competitive eater emphasized his deep affection for the event, his admiration for his fans, and his commitment to defending his title.

“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,” Chestnut wrote. “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.”

In a statement, Impossible Foods expressed their support for Chestnut and stated that “meat eaters shouldn’t have to be exclusive to just one wiener.”

MLE, on the other hand, conveyed their disappointment in Chestnut’s decision, “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,” the organization said in its statement. “However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different hot dog brand over our long-time relationship.”

Despite the current impasse, MLE expressed their desire to have Chestnut back in Nathan’s contest, acknowledging him as “an American hero” and stating that they “would love nothing more than to have him” at the iconic event he has dominated for years.

In 2021, Chesnut broke Nathan’s record for eating 57 hot dogs in 10 minutes.