The new canine information from Coney Island is difficult to swallow.
Joey Chestnut, perennial winner of the annual July 4th Nathan’s Scorching Canine Consuming Competitors, is out of this 12 months’s competitors over a deal he made to symbolize a special wiener model, The Publish experiences.
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And never simply any model, however Inconceivable Meals, which lately launched a vegan frankfurter impostor produced from crops.
California-born Chestnut has received it 16 instances, together with yearly since 2016. He wolfed a world’s document 76 canines and buns in 2021 and stored his title with a paltry 62 down the hatch final 12 months.
He was anticipated to as soon as once more take his regular spot for the new canine contest on the stage on the nook of Stillwell and Surf avenues — one block from the well-known Boardwalk and a Coney Island custom since 1916 — till the surprising meals battle.
A rep for Main League Consuming (MLE), which Nathan’s sanctions to run the occasion, mentioned the organisers bent over backwards to satisfy Chestnut’s varied calls for. They even agreed to let him take part in a rival Labor Day dog-eating fest to be taped for TV so long as no scorching canine model was talked about.
However they mentioned they drew the road on letting Chestnut pitch for a special scorching canine model.
A supply mentioned Chestnut was paid $200,000 to look within the Nathan’s contest final 12 months, and was supplied a $1.2 million, four-year contract going ahead.
“The 2 sides might nonetheless come to a decision earlier than July 4, however it depends upon Joey,” an insider mentioned.
“He’s the Michael Jordan of aggressive consuming. However think about if Michael Jordan mentioned to Nike, ‘I really like being the face of Nike however I wish to do commercials for Adidas too,” the supply mentioned.
If Chestnut’s out for good, main sportsbook Bovada named Geoffrey Esper, who got here in second final 12 months for consuming 49 scorching canines, as this 12 months’s favorite.
MLE mentioned in an announcement: “We’re devastated to be taught that Joey Chestnut has chosen to symbolize a rival model that sells plant-based scorching canines somewhat than competing within the 2024 Nathan’s Well-known Fourth of July Scorching Canine Consuming Contest.
“MLE and Nathan’s went to nice lengths in latest months to accommodate Joey and his
administration crew, agreeing to the looks payment and permitting Joey to compete in a rival,
unbranded scorching canine consuming contest on Labor Day.
“For almost twenty years we’ve got labored beneath the identical primary scorching canine exclusivity provisions. Nevertheless, plainly Joey and his managers have prioritised a brand new partnership with a special model over our long-time relationship.
The organisers did depart the door open for Chestnut to as soon as once more compete for Nathan’s championship belt.
“Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We’d love nothing greater than to have him on the Nathan’s Well-known Worldwide Scorching Canine Consuming Contest. We hope he returns when he’s not representing a rival model.”
Neither Chestnut nor his brokers would instantly remark. Inconceivable Meals didn’t reply both.
This text initially appeared on the NY Publish and was reproduced with permission.
