Why Joey Chestnut Has Been Banned From 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Competition

For those who watch Nathan's Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, we have some bad news...

Joey Chestnut, 16-time winner of the annual Fourth of July contest, is banned from participating in this year's Nathan's hot dog eating contest -- But why?

Joey Chestnut, the notorious champion of the yearly July 4th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, will miss this year's event due to a contractual agreement to endorse another brand of wieners, but not just any brand --  a vegan brand!

According to the New York Post, the 16-time winner is banned from participating after he made a deal with Impossible Foods, a vegan company that recently launched a vegan dog made from plants.

Major League Eating, who is in charge of the iconic Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Competition, reportedly told the outlet that Chestnut decided to endorse the vegan hot dog brand, which is a rival of Nathan's.

"We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest," Major League Eating told the New York Post.

"MLE and Nathan’s went to great lengths to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival, unbranded hot dog eating contest on Labor Day," their statement continued. "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 brand over our long-time relationship," the MLE added.

Now that Chestnut, who goes by the nickname “Jaws,” decided to represent a vegan brand rather than Nathan's, could he go vegan?! Guess we will have to wait and see...

While he is banned from 2024's hot dog eating contest, Major League Eating said they hope to see Joey Chestnut return in the future.

"Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him at the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest," MLE said in their statement. "We hope he returns when he is not representing a rival brand."

According to the New York Post, Chestnut was paid $200,000 to join the 2023 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Competition and had been offered a four-year contract worth $1.2 million to continue competing in the event before Tuesday's announcement.

After hearing about Joey Chestnut's ban from Nathan's hot dog eating contest, Americans took their anger out on social media.

"WHAT THE F-CK?!? THIS IS THE MOST UN-AMERICAN THING EVER. YOU CAN'T BAN JOEY CHESTNUT," one X user exclaimed.

" I can’t live with no Joey Chestnut on the 4th of July. I’m distraught," another expressed.

"Distraught about the entire Joey Chestnut situation, I can’t lie," one of Chestnut's fans wrote.

One X user shared a GIF of a hockey player holding another NHL star in a choke hold, writing, "Me when I find the person who banned Joey Chestnut from the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest."

In addition to his 16 wins in Nathan's hot dog eating contest, Joey Chestnut also has a sweet tooth, as he has broken numerous records in the dessert category.

In 2009, Chestnut ate 5.9 pounds of funnel cake in 10 minutes; in 2013, he ate 121 Twinkies in six minutes; in 2017, he consumed 55 glazed doughnuts in eight minutes.

As for ice cream, he downed 25.5 ice cream sandwiches in six minutes in 2018, per Bleacher Report.

Aside from desserts, Chestnut had 23 6-inch cheesesteaks at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom on May 14, 2011.  At a San Jose Barracuda hockey game on November 17, 2019, he consumed 81 waffles.

Ahead of Thanksgiving, Chestnut more than doubled the previous world record by eating 9.35 pounds of turkey off a 20-pounder on November 22, 2014,

His world record in Nathan's hot dog eating contest is a total of 76 dogs in the 2021 contest.

Joey Chestnut has yet to comment on the news.