Sponsor battle retaining Joey Chestnut out of sizzling canine consuming contest

Joey Chestnut, the 16-time champion of the Nathan’s Well-known Scorching Canine Consuming Contest, won’t compete within the annual Fourth of July occasion subsequent month, Main League Consuming introduced Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Main League Consuming (MLE) informed ESPN that Chestnut had chosen to “symbolize one other sizzling canine model” and subsequently wouldn’t be allowed to take part within the Nathan’s contest, which is held yearly at New York Metropolis’s Coney Island.

Chestnut, aggressive consuming’s greatest star who is named “Jaws,” has received the occasion eight years in a row. He reportedly agreed to a sponsorship take care of Inconceivable Meals, an organization that makes plant-based sizzling canines, and a competing firm to Nathan’s Well-known Scorching Canines.

“It might be like Michael Jordan saying to Nike, ‘I’ll symbolize Adidas, too,'” MLE occasion organizer George Shea stated.

Chestnut, in flip, issued his personal assertion on X, saying he’s “gutted” to search out out that he would not have the ability to compete.

“I really like competing in that occasion, I really like celebrating America with my followers throughout this nice nation on the 4th and I’ve been coaching to defend my title,” Chestnut stated in his publish. “… Sadly, that is the choice Nathan’s and Main League Consuming are making, and it’ll deprive the nice followers of the vacation’s traditional pleasure and leisure.”

Inconceivable Meals informed ESPN that they assist Chestnut “in any contest he chooses” and that “meat eaters should not need to be unique to only one wiener.”

Main League Consuming stated in an announcement that it was “devastated” to search out out that Chestnut “has chosen to symbolize a rival model that sells plant-based sizzling canines.”

“MLE and Nathan’s went to nice lengths in current months to accommodate Joey and his administration workforce, agreeing to the looks payment and permitting Joey to compete in a rival unbranded sizzling canine consuming contest on Labor Day,” MLE stated in its assertion. “For almost 20 years we have now labored below the identical fundamental sizzling canine exclusivity provisions. Nevertheless, evidently Joey and his managers have prioritized a brand new partnership with a distinct sizzling canine model over our long-time relationship.”

In his publish, Chestnut stated he does not have a contract with MLE or Nathan’s, and “they want to change the principles from previous years because it associated to different companions I can work with.”

Chestnut owns the highest 10 performances on the Nathan’s Well-known Scorching Canine Consuming Contest, together with downing a file 76 sizzling canines and buns in 2021. He ate 62 franks and buns to win final 12 months’s occasion.

“Joey Chestnut is an American hero,” MLE’s assertion stated. “We might love nothing greater than to have him on the Nathan’s Well-known Worldwide Scorching Canine Consuming Contest, which he has dominated for years. We hope that he returns when he’s not representing a rival model.”

Chestnut thanked his followers and promised that he would not be away from the highlight for lengthy.

“Relaxation assured that you will see me eat once more quickly!!” he posted to X. “STAY HUNGRY!”

The Related Press contributed to this report.