Why Joey Chestnut won’t compete in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest

The only thing that can stop Joey Chestnut is bureaucracy.

Watching Chestnut dominate Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has become as much a part of the Fourth of July festivities as barbecues, fireworks, and your smarmy uncle drinking one too many Miller Lites. This year, however, Chestnut won’t be dunking buns or the contest.

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The show — and stomachs — must go on, even without Chestnut. Here’s why he won’t be at the corner of Surf and Stilwell on July 4:

Is Joey Chestnut entering Nathan’s hot dog eating contest?

Chestnut will not participate in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest due to a contract dispute with Major League Eating, the organization that sanctioned the event.

In June, Chestnut signed an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods to sponsor a new meatless hot dog. Representing a rival brand caused quite a stomach upset for MLE and Nathan’s Famous, resulting in him not being at the event this year.

Watch the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest 2024

However, the ban is not permanent, the MLE report says. The organization wants Chestnut to participate in future events.

“Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love to have him compete in the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which he has dominated for years. We hope he will be back when he is not representing a competing brand,” MLE said in a statement.

However, that doesn’t mean this is the last time you’ll see Chestnut dog-wrestling.

Chestnut vs Kobayashi

Although he doesn’t eat hot dogs on the Fourth of July, Chestnut will return to the competitive eating spotlight in a big way in 2024 by taking on an old rival.

Chestnut will face his arch-nemesis Takeru Kobayashi in a live Netflix special titled “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef” on September 2nd.

“In all my years of competitive eating, Kobayashi is my biggest rival,” Chestnut said in a statement. “Competing against him has made me want to be that much better. I know fans have been waiting a long time for a new chapter in our rivalry, and I can’t wait for our big showdown live on Netflix!”

The last time Kobayashi and Chestnut clashed was in 2009, when Chestnut gave the six-time Mustard Belt winner a good beating.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Joey Chestnut entering Nathan’s hot dog eating contest?