Joey Chestnut is OUT of July 4th Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest - after reigning champion turned down $1.2m deal to sign with VEGETARIAN rival
- READ MORE: Inside Joey Chestnut's $4 MILLION net worth as competitive eater
- READ MORE: Joey 'Jaws' Chestnut annihilates competition to claim 16th crown
Competitive eating legend Joey Chestnut has been sidelined for the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Competition on July 4 due to a sponsorship conflict.
The New York Post is reporting that Chestnut's deal with vegetarian frank manufacturer Impossible Foods will preclude him from winning a record 17th title on Coney Island.
The issue, organizers told the Post, is Chestnut's demand to endorse the rival hot dog.
One source told the Post that Chestnut was paid $200,000 to appear at last year's contest, and was even offered a $1.2 million, four-year deal beginning this year.
Ultimately, Chestnut felt compelled to honor his unspecified agreement with Impossible Foods.
Joey Chestnut, the competitive eating legend, will skip the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Competition on July 4 due to a sponsorship conflict
However, Chestnut is not banned from the event due to the sponsorship, per NBC News.
'There is no ban. Major League Eating wants him there. The fans want him there. Nathan's wants him there,' Major League Eating's Richard Shea told NBC.
'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,' read a statement from Major League Eating (MLE), which sanctions the event.
'MLE and Nathan's went to great lengths 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.
'Joey Chestnut is an American hero. 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.'
Impossible Foods has since released its own statement in support of Chestnut.
'We love Joey and support him in any contest he chooses,' read the statement from a brand spokesperson. 'It's OK to experiment with a new dog. Meat eaters shouldn't have to be exclusive to just one wiener.'
Joey Chestnut won his 16th Nathan's hot dog contest last year on July 4 in Coney Island
Chestnut is welcome to return to the annual contest when his conflicting sponsorship ends
Known as 'Jaws,' Chestnut wolfed down 62 hot dogs to win the 2023 title, which was a slight downtick from the record 76 he ate in 2021.'
Earlier this month, Chestnut was seen taking down pints of ice cream during a contest at a minor league baseball game. And the 40-year-old showed that his eating prowess is not limited to hot dogs as he managed to scarf down four pints of ice cream in a minute.
According to MLB.com, Chestnut also ate 36 nuggets of fried walleye in a minute during the pregame 'Eat and Greet' session with fans.
He reportedly visited a minor league stadium in Lansing, Michigan last August as well, and ate a world-record 13 olive burgers in five minutes.
Chestnut is no stranger to eating ice cream competitively, as he also ate a record 23.5 ice cream sandwiches in six minutes in 2018, as per Major League Eating.
In 2022, he told USA TODAY Sports he earned more than $500,000 and his net worth exceeds $4 million.
He has promotional deals with DUDE Wipes, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, Wonderful Pistachios and Pepsi.
Chestnut has been on the competitive eating scene since 2005, when he broke out with a performance in the deep-fried asparagus eating championship.
Since then, the Westfield, Indiana native has gone on to set countless records, most famously with hot dogs, where his mark of 76 in the 2021 Nathan's competition stands alone.
