Editor's note: The video was posted on Oct 19, 2019.
NEW YORK (PIX11) -- Reigning hot dog champion Joey Chestnut will not compete in this year's Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest due to a new brand deal, according to George Shea of Major League Eating.
Major League Eating "bent over backward to accommodate" Chestnut and keep him in the 2024 competition, including allowing him to compete in another hot dog eating contest on Labor Day, Shea told PIX11 News on Tuesday. But when Chestnut took on a new brand deal with a plant-based competitor, he could no longer compete at the famed Fourth of July competition in Coney Island. Shea said it's MLE's one area of exclusivity.
"This was all of his choosing," Shea said. "The fans want him, we want him there."
Shea likened the deal to Michael Jordan trying to represent both Adidas and Nike at the same time.
"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," a spokesperson for the MLE said.
It was not immediately clear if another competitive eater would fill Chestnut's spot, and U.S. qualifiers for the competition are not finished yet. International qualifiers are finished.
"There are plenty of great eaters," Shea said.
Chestnut took home his 16th Mustard Yellow Belt in 2023 by eating 62 hot dogs in just 10 minutes.
PIX11 News reached out to Joey Chestnut, but he was not immediately available to comment.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter from Los Angeles who has covered New York City since 2023. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
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