Joey Chestnut will attempt to pull off the extraordinary on the Fourth of July greater than 2,000 miles from the Nathan’s Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest from which he was been banned.
He shall be competing in opposition to troopers on the Fort Bliss Military base in El Paso, Texas. However when he’s devouring scorching canines and buns, the 16-time Nathan’s champ additionally may have the opponents of Coney Island on his thoughts.
The competition in El Paso is about to final 5 minutes. The Nathan’s contest in Brooklyn, New York, will final 10 minutes. Chestnut mentioned his hope is to devour extra scorching canines and buns in 5 minutes than the winner at Nathan’s contest manages this 12 months in 10.
No Joey Chestnut this 12 months:Here is who bettors suppose will take Nathan’s Well-known throne
“I feel 56 is doable,’’ mentioned Chestnut, who in 2021 set the Nathan’s file with 76 scorching canines and buns. “I’d be very glad to do this.’’
There shall be no reside ESPN telecast like on the Nathan’s contest, however there shall be a livestream, with the masticating set to start out at 5 p.m. ET. There additionally shall be constitution airplanes pulling banners in Los Angeles and Miami encouraging individuals to “Watch Joey Eat.”
“I want them luck on that,” mentioned George Shea of Main League Consuming (MLE), which runs the Nathan’s contest. “And I suppose it’s potential that Joey’s such a tremendous eater that he may try this (eat extra scorching canines than the Nathan’s winner in half the time) and that could be a method to snub us on Coney Island. However it’s simply not going to the Nathan’s Fourth of July Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest.”
Nothing appears fairly the identical with the Nathan’s contest, particularly Chestnut’s relationship with Shea, the occasion’s longtime emcee, and MLE. It was MLE that introduced June 11 Chestnut couldn’t compete at Nathan’s as a result of he’d signed an endorsement cope with Not possible Meals, a model that sells meat substitutes. Aggressive eaters on the Nathan’s contest can’t endorse scorching canines aside from Nathan’s, which sponsors the competition on the Fourth.
On Tuesday, Shea mentioned MLE had provided to “put aside the exclusivity problem” and let Chestnut compete this 12 months. However he can be allowed to take action with the plan of signing a multiyear cope with Nathan’s earlier than the 2025 contest and finish his partnership with Not possible Meals.
Chestnut’s representatives declined, Shea mentioned. Chestnut’s representatives didn’t present a remark in response to USA TODAY Sports activities’ request submitted by e mail.
“I feel it’s honest to say that Not possible or every other model that chooses Joey is doing so due to his recognition as a scorching canine eater,” Shea mentioned. “In truth, what they’re selling and promoting is a scorching canine. So I don’t thnk it’s honest to counsel it’s not a battle.”
Regardless, Chestnut shall be enveloped in patriotism Thursday at Fort Bliss, the place he should eat extra scorching canines than the mixed complete of 4 troopers to win.
“I’m considering, may as nicely make it 5 (troopers) so I gained’t get lazy,’’ Chestnut advised USA TODAY Sports activities. “Typically if it appears like I’m within the lead, I decelerate. I actually need to push exhausting for all 5 minutes.
“If I’m going to eat on the Fourth of July, I’m going to eat exhausting.’’
∎The USA TODAY app will get you to the guts of the information — quick. Obtain for award-winning protection, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and extra.
Joey Chestnut copes with ban
Three weeks after he discovered he’d been banned by Nathan’s, Chestnut mentioned he’s nonetheless coping. It’ll be the primary time in 20 years he is not going to compete on the Fourth on Coney Island.
“There’s undoubtedly a whole lot of ache,’’ he mentioned. “There’s a little bit of grief.’’
In 2022, it turned evident how necessary the competition is to Chestnut. He competed lower than three weeks after his mom died. And he arrived on the contest on crutches as a result of he had a damaged leg.
“I used to be like, all proper, I don’t actually need to inform individuals it’s a damaged leg as a result of then they’ll notice how loopy I’m and the way a lot I really like this contest,’’ he mentioned. “And I actually didn’t need to inform folks that my mother handed away as a result of they’d be like, what, you need to be grieving.
“This example is actually dangerous, nevertheless it’s not almost as dangerous as that one. I used to be capable of get by that one and I used to be capable of get by the 12 months I misplaced (in 2015 to Matt Stonie) and are available again stronger. I’m going to get by this and we’re going to see the place it takes me.’’
Of Chestnut, Shea mentioned, “He’s an important individual and I take into account him a buddy. I’d by no means need him to really feel emotional misery ever. However I do imagine on this cse, the emotional stress was prompted by his decisions.”
One welcome distraction, Chestnut mentioned, is his scheduled showdown with Takeru Kobayashi on Labor Day to be broadcast by Netflix. They final competed in 2006, a 12 months earlier than Kobayashi left Nathan’s due to contractual points with MLE. Chestnut expects intense competitors from his former rival.
“He’s not pleasant towards me, which motivates me even tougher,’’ Chestnut mentioned. “We all know we’re attempting to push one another to uncomfortable limits.’’
Joey Chestnut open to Nathan’s return
Chestnut mentioned he’s holding out hope of a return to the Nathan’s contest. However he mentioned he had no regrets about his signing with Not possible Meals and the way it transpired. His representatives and Not possible Meals wouldn’t disclose particulars of the deal.
“Possibly time and public opinion will make them extra affordable,’’ he mentioned of MLE, which runs the Nathan’s competitors.
On X, New York mayor Eric Adams wrote, “Cease being such weenies! It will be ‘inconceivable’ to have this 12 months’s Nathan’s Well-known Worldwide Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest with out Joey Chestnut. Let’s discover a method to squash this beef and convey again the champ for one more 4th of July at Coney Island!’’
Stated Shea, “He’s proper. The problem right here is we received right into a contract dispute. You may get into who’s proper and who’s fallacious. In the end the followers simply need to see Joey.”
However MLE’s provide to let Chestnut compete if he agrees to signal with Nathan’s and leaves Not possible Meals has gone over in addition to a plant-based scorching canine on the annual Fourth of July contest. However the deadlock remained civil.
“I’m not burning bridges,’’ Chestnut mentioned. “They’ve made this mattress and now we’ve received to sleep in it and determine a method if there’s a method (to reconcile).
“However I feel publicly I’ve been fairly respectful.’’
Joey Chestnut, meat lover
Chestnut balks on the notion he’ll be consuming plant-based scorching canines in Fort Bliss or throughout his competitors in opposition to Kobayashi. All beef, he assured, in dispelling the misnomer he is gone from carnivore to vegan due to his contract with Not possible Meals.
Casual talks between Chestnut and the corporate have been underway by early this 12 months, mentioned Peter McGuinness, the corporate’s CEO. Chestnut’s representatives declined to offer the phrases of the contract. The corporate declined, too, nevertheless it did announce will probably be chartering the planes in Los Angeles and Miami pulling these “Watch Joey Eat” banners.
“He actually represents our target market,’’ McGuinness mentioned. “We’re a plant-based meat firm. We’re not a vegan firm. We make meals designed to enchantment to meat eaters and Flexitarians, individuals who eat animal meat and who additionally eat plant-based.’’
Chestnut attests he suits the profile.
“And if I eat 14 kilos of bologna on Saturday, you may guess on Monday I’m going to be consuming a plant-based eating regimen and excessive fiber,’’ he mentioned. “That’s a part of my restoration. I’m very glad to be working with them, however I nonetheless love meat.’’
For the file, Chestnut mentioned he’ll be consuming all-beef scorching canines in opposition to Kobayashi on Labor Day. And, if he returns to Coney Island sooner or later, it’ll be extra beef.
“If he finally ends up going again to Nathan’s, we’ll assist him,’’ McGuinness mentioned. “I simply don’t see it as this controversial aggressive at-war sort of factor.
“And I don’t suppose they need to both, frankly.’’
What to anticipate on the Fourth
Chestnut mentioned he is heard supporters say of the Nathan’s contest, ‘We’re not watching with out Joey (competing).”
However Shea mentioned he expects greater crowds and better TV rankings due to the “intense” controversy over Chestnut. He additionally mentioned he thinks a extra aggressive contest may enchantment to followers at an occasion that draws greater than 40,000 individuals yearly, in response to Allison O’Donnell, a publicist for the competition.
Whereas Chestnut often dominates the sphere, Shea mentioned this 12 months he is anticipating a decent competitors amongst 4 high eaters on the lads’s facet.
And Chestnut’s future on Coney Island?
“He’s at all times welcome again,” Shea mentioned. “If he and his workforce need to resolve it, I am sure we will.’’
Observe Josh Peter on social media @joshlpeter11