Joey Chestnut opens up about 4th of July hot dog contest ban, where he’ll eat instead

This Fourth of July, Joey Chestnut can be notably absent from the famed beachside Coney Island Nathan’s Scorching Canine Consuming Contest.

The all-time consuming legend opened up in a brand new interview concerning the latest ban and the way he plans to stay part of the patriotic vacation with loads of sizzling canines.

Final month, Chestnut introduced on social media that he had been “banned” from the annual occasion, claiming he discovered of the choice by Main League Consuming together with the remainder of the world. Main League Consuming stated Chestnut wouldn’t have the ability to compete attributable to his affiliation with plant-based sizzling canine model Unimaginable Meals.

As ABC Information reported beforehand, Nathan’s has lengthy required eaters to not endorse a rival model in the event that they plan to compete within the annual sizzling canine consuming contest.

“I used to be gutted to be taught from the media that after 19 years Im banned from the Nathan’s July 4th Scorching Canine Consuming Contest,” Chestnut wrote on X on the time, including, “I like competing in that occasion, I like celebrating America with my followers throughout this nice nation on the 4th and I’ve been coaching to defend my title.”

Now, the 16-time winner is getting ready to take his skills to Fort Bliss in Texas, the place he’ll compete in a five-minute consuming contest towards 4 troopers as a substitute, in an occasion set to happen on the Fourth of July.

Forward of that problem, Chestnut spoke with Sports activities Illustrated in an unique interview to share his hopes for doable reconciliation with Nathan’s and his pleasure over Thursday’s occasion.

Joey Chestnut on his response to Nathan’s Scorching Canine Consuming Contest ban

Chestnut informed Sports activities Illustrated he was on the physician when he acquired an e mail from a reporter asking about his participation within the iconic contest, adopted by a telephone name, which he stated he didn’t choose up.

About “an hour later,” he stated, “there was slightly article saying that anyone leaked data.”

“It was bizarre — ‘Joey’s been banned for working with a vegan sizzling canine firm,'” he recalled. “It simply wasn’t the best way I believed issues have been going to go.”

Chestnut claimed that “every little thing with [the Impossible Foods affiliation] was completely advantageous by all my earlier agreements. They modified phrases and situations [around] exclusivity — it is the primary time they’ve actually modified issues after the actual fact, and I needed to say, ‘Hey, it is too late, I’ve already began working with this model.'”

Main League Consuming claimed in an earlier assertion that each the group and Nathan’s “went to nice lengths in latest months to accommodate Joey and his administration crew, agreeing to the looks charge and permitting Joey to compete in a rival unbranded sizzling canine consuming contest on Labor Day.”

“For practically 20 years we have now labored underneath the identical primary sizzling canine exclusivity provisions,” Main League Consuming said. “Nonetheless, evidently Joey and his managers have prioritized a brand new partnership with a unique sizzling canine model over our long-time relationship.”

Chestnut informed Sports activities Illustrated that regardless of the ban, he’s open to working with Main League Consuming once more sooner or later.

“[George and Richard Shea, who run Major League Eating], each despatched me slightly message saying, just about, that they are sorry it acquired ugly. One in all them stated hopefully we are able to have beers sooner or later,” he stated. “However they are not dangerous individuals, they’re simply them, and that is the best way they’re.”

He added, “I am not burning any bridges. And I find it irresistible — I like the Fourth of July and that contest. I am at all times keen to attempt. I do not maintain grudges. So nothing is out of the query.”

The place Joey Chestnut will eat his 4th of July sizzling canines this yr

Other than the damaged hyperlink with the recent canine model and contest, Chestnut was capable of lock in alternate plans to maintain a model of the custom alive.

“We will have fun the Fourth of July on an Military base, and I will nonetheless be a part of the individuals’s Fourth of July. That labored out actually, rather well, and I am completely happy,” he informed Sports activities Illustrated.

“It is greater than a contest,” he added. “A number of the mail or letters I get from individuals, it isn’t saying, ‘Oh my God, you eat so many sizzling canines, it is superb.’ It is, ‘You’ve got been part of my Fourth of July for therefore lengthy.’ That is the superior half. I get to be part of individuals’s Fourth of July.”

“I like celebrating the Fourth of July, and the truth that I assist different individuals have fun the Fourth of July — it has been actually, actually enjoyable,” he added. “And I am hoping I can nonetheless discover methods to try this.”