Joey Chestnut gained’t be taking part on this yr’s Nathan’s Well-known Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest, which is held yearly on Coney Island on July 4. The explanation? Chestnut not too long ago received a brand new sponsor, plant-based meals model Unimaginable Meals, and Nathan’s gained’t enable Chestnut to advertise a competing model throughout what’s speculated to be an commercial for Nathan’s.

Main League Consuming, the governing physique that oversees the Nathan’s occasion on Independence Day, was fast to level out Chestnut hadn’t technically been “banned” from the occasion, regardless that that’s successfully what’s taking place.

“We’re devastated to be taught that Joey Chestnut has chosen to signify a rival model that sells plant-based sizzling canine relatively than competing within the 2024 Nathan’s Well-known Fourth of July Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest,” Main League Consuming wrote Tuesday on X.

Chestnut has gained the competitors 16 instances, together with each Nathan’s contest since 2016. However the 40-year-old’s new sponsorship wasn’t going to work for the recent canine firm because it’s with a direct competitor.

“MLE and Nathan’s went to nice lengths in current months to accommodate Joey and his administration group, agreeing to the looks price and permitting Joey to compete in a rival unbranded sizzling canine consuming contest on Labor Day,” the MLE assertion defined.

The New York Publish, which was the primary information outlet to report Chestnut’s exit from the competitors, cited an nameless supply to assert the aggressive eater was paid $200,000 to seem final yr and was provided a brand new $1.2 million contract for the subsequent 4 years.

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

Chestnut gained the 2023 competitors by consuming 62 sizzling canine and buns, in response to ESPN. The all-time document was 76 sizzling canine and buns, which Chestnut achieved in 2021.

ESPN quotes MLE occasion organizer George Shea who in contrast it to basketball legend Michael Jordan saying he wished to advertise each Nike and Adidas. And that type of provides away the truth that aggressive consuming isn’t actually an unbiased sporting train in any approach if the individuals are sure to a single sponsor. Once more, everybody already understands the annual sizzling canine consuming competitors is simply an commercial for Nathan’s, however the response by organizers certain places that in stark aid.

That mentioned, the MLE would really like Chestnut to return and even known as him an “American hero” for consuming extra sizzling canine than anyone else.

“Joey Chestnut is an American hero,” MLE mentioned in its on-line assertion. “We might love nothing greater than to have him on the Nathan’s Well-known Worldwide Sizzling Canine Consuming Contest, which he has dominated for years. We hope that he returns when he isn’t representing a rival model.”