It’s been a tough few years for Joey Chestnut – perhaps the most famous, competitive eating cham-pion on official record. He lad a lock on the annual Nathan’s July 4 Hot Dog contest until he was dumped a couple of years ago…
Joey Chestnut being declared winner of the 2021 Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest – his
his last before COVID and MLE threw a pair of grilling tongs into his career path…
But he decided to bail following a dispute with the League that regulates and monitors all the big-name, big prize eating contests…
What he did…
Major League Eating (MLE), the global organization that regulates pro eating contests, said Joey couldn’t compete under the Nathan’s tent because he had signed a sponsorship deal with plant-based hot dog competitor Impossible foods.
“MLE and Nathan’s went to great lengths in recent months to accommodate Joey and his manage-ment team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day,” MLE stated. “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.”
Anyway… The contest went on, without Joey, and the fans had a great time under sunny skies at Coney Island. And that was that for another year.
Disappointment all ’round…
But there was disappointment in both fighters’ corners.
MLE took a hit for banning Joey – an all-time fan fave celeb. And Joey took a prestige hit for signing up with another, second- or third-tier July 4 Hot Dog Eationg showdown that ended up taking place at an obscure Texas USAF base. And appearing live on an inferior streaming service.
It wasn’t that Joey needed the money. I read somewhere, after the ban was announced, that Joey takes home more than $100,000 annually, from victories on the MLE ‘circuit’. I think his ego needed a July 4 contest to rub in MLE’s face, that they had made an unpopular decision banning him.
Fast-forward to last week…
MLE announced, with flags flying and trumpets blaring, that Joey would be back at this year’s July 4 Nathan’s contest, at Nathan’s historic Coney Island Hot Dog stand, broadcast live on ESPN.
No details of the behind-the-scenes negotiations that led to the reunion were revealed. But it must have a relief for both sides that a new deal was reached.
My take
I thought, when Joey’s ban from last year’s Nathan’s contest was announced, “What a shame! Cut off at the apex of his career!” You see, Joey had been kind of stalled in the years leading up to the dis-puted 2024 contest. He had been setting new records, pretty much every year, for how many dogs he ate to preserve his winning streak. Until a couple of years before 2024, when COVID screwed every-thing up – and when Joey appeared to start banging his head on the ceiling.
Sports and entertainment reporters dutifully consulted doctors, physiologists and other experts, who revealed that there was probably a built-in maximum that even a big guy like Joey would eventually hit, in the number of dogs he could cram down at a sitting. And Joey was close to reaching it, if he hadn’t already.
The magic number was 76, or something like that, as I recall. And Joey’s personal bests were already in the low 70s.
A fond farewell?
But now, I – and millions of other fans around the world – will have the chance to see of Joey can set just one more Hot Dog Eating record. and retire on a high, in all respects…
Of course, we’ll be covering the 2025 Nathan’s contest On July 4. And we’ll keep you abreast of Joey’s impending retirement announcement in the days that follow…
~ Maggie J.