Sponsor battle holding Joey Chestnut out of sizzling canine consuming contest

Joey Chestnut, the 16-time champion of the Nathan’s Well-known Sizzling 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) instructed ESPN that Chestnut had chosen to “signify one other sizzling canine model” and due to this fact 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 largest star who is named “Jaws,” has gained the occasion eight years in a row. He reportedly agreed to a sponsorship take care of Not possible Meals, an organization that makes plant-based sizzling canines, and a competing firm to Nathan’s Well-known Sizzling Canine.

“It will be like Michael Jordan saying to Nike, ‘I will signify 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 be capable of 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 put up. “… Sadly, that is the choice Nathan’s and Main League Consuming are making, and it’ll deprive the good followers of the vacation’s normal pleasure and leisure.”

Not possible Meals instructed ESPN that they assist Chestnut “in any contest he chooses” and that “meat eaters should not must 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 signify a rival model that sells plant-based sizzling canines.”

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

In his put up, Chestnut stated he would not have a contract with MLE or Nathan’s, and “they want to change the foundations 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 Sizzling 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’d love nothing greater than to have him on the Nathan’s Well-known Worldwide Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest, which he has dominated for years. We hope that he returns when he isn’t 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.