Joey Chestnut missed the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest because Major League Eating (MLE) said his partnership with plant-based hot-dog maker Impossible Foods conflicted with the event’s hot-dog exclusivity provisions. Chestnut disputed that account, saying he had no contract with MLE or Nathan’s and objecting to rules he said were changing. The dispute was later resolved, and he returned to the contest in 2025.
Why was Joey Chestnut banned from Nathan’s contest in 2024?
The immediate issue was Chestnut’s work with Impossible Foods, which sells plant-based hot dogs. MLE announced that he would not compete in the 2024 Nathan’s event, describing his partnership as representing a rival hot-dog brand. The organization said the contest had long operated under hot-dog exclusivity provisions and that it had tried to accommodate him, including agreeing to his appearance fee and allowing him to compete in an unbranded event on Labor Day. CBS News reported MLE’s explanation.
That is why headlines described Chestnut as “banned,” but the dispute was specifically about eligibility and sponsorship exclusivity. The available reporting records the parties’ accounts; it does not independently establish the underlying contract terms or prove that Chestnut violated a contract.
What did each side say about the rules?
| Party | Public account |
|---|---|
| Major League Eating | MLE said longstanding hot-dog exclusivity provisions prevented Chestnut from representing a rival hot-dog brand at Nathan’s. Its statement, quoted by CBS News, said: “For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions.” |
| Joey Chestnut | Chestnut said he had no contract with MLE or Nathan’s and argued that the organizations were changing rules about the other partners he could work with. CBS News quoted his Instagram statement: “To set the record straight, I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathan’s and they are looking to change the rules from past years as it relates to other partners I can work with.” |
| Impossible Foods | A company spokesperson told CBS News: “we love Joey and support him in any contest he chooses.” |
ESPN also described the issue as a sponsor conflict. Neither side’s interpretation of the rules should be treated as independently proven by the cited accounts.
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What did Chestnut’s absence mean for the 2024 contest?
At the time he was excluded, Chestnut had won Nathan’s contest 16 times. He had won the 2023 competition by eating 62 hot dogs, while his contest record of 76 dated to 2021, according to CBS News.
Chestnut’s absence opened the field to other competitors. In the 2024 men’s contest, Patrick Bertoletti won with 58 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. Miki Sudo won the women’s contest with 51, a women’s record. Those results are listed by Major League Eating.
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Is Joey Chestnut still banned from Nathan’s contest?
No. The dispute was resolved, and Chestnut returned to the Nathan’s contest in 2025 while continuing to work with Impossible Foods, following contract clarifications. The Associated Press reported his return, and MLE announced it on June 16, 2025: AP coverage and MLE’s announcement.
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Sources
- CBS News, June 12, 2024, on MLE’s announcement, Chestnut’s response and his competition record.
- ESPN, June 11, 2024, on the sponsor conflict.
- Associated Press, June 16, 2025, on Chestnut’s return.
- Major League Eating, June 16, 2025, on the 2024 results and Chestnut’s return.
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