Joey Chestnut will not compete in 2024’s show after agreeing to a deal with a Nathan’s rival.
The annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest will look a little different this year.
On Tuesday, the New York Post reported that 16-time champion Joey Chestnut will miss the 2024 Nathan’s Hot Dog competition after making a deal with a rival. Impossible Foods, a plant-based food company, launched a vegan hot dog that is made from plants.
The Post learned from a rep for Major League Eating that organizers worked hard to meet Chestnut’s demands but in the end, he chose to represent the rival. Chestnut was paid $200,000 to appear in the Hot Dog Eating Contest last year and was offered a four-year deal worth $1.2 million moving forward.
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“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.”
The future is unknown but Chestnut would be welcomed back to defend his 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating title if he was not represented by a rival company.
“We hope he returns when he is not repenting a rival brand.”
James Webb Documentary In The Works
One of the contestants that is now the favorite to take his crown and competed at the 2023 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is known as James Webb. He is the first Australian to competitively eat at Coney Island and holds the world record for eating the most amount of glazed donuts in under 8 minutes. He is currently ranked among the best competitive eaters in the world.
During the 2023 competition, Webb finished third after consuming 47 hot dogs in the 10-minute time slot. He was behind only Chestnut (62) and Geoffrey Esper (49).
Generation Iron is working on producing a documentary on James Webb and have been following him during his journey to become the #1 competitive eater in the world. You can get a behind the scene sneak peak in a recent episode of the Generation Iron Podcast. Check it out below:
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