Name a duo more synonymous with the 4th of July than Joey Chestnut and hot dogs. I'll wait.
Unfortunately, the Michael Jordan of competitive eating is reportedly out at the Kentucky Derby of competitive eating events this summer. That's right, Joey Chestnut won't be defending his mustard belt title after signed with plant-based food company Impossible Foods.
"It's a catastrophe," Major League Eating commissioner George Shea told 560 WQAM afternoon show Hoch and Crowder. "We did not want this. What happened is, his reps came to us and said we have signed with a plant based meat company that does hot dogs and that's that."
Shea made it clear that Major League Eating had no issue with Chestnut's endorsement with Impossible Foods and had been "very accommodating" to him making money outside of Major League Eating. But the conflict of him Chestnut eating a competitors hot dogs while holding the title of Nathan's hot dog eating title is where the problem lies. But according to Shea, Chestnut's reps didn't offer any room for negotiations.
"He didn't come to us and say we have this other offer and let's talk. It was 'this offer is signed' so it made it very difficult to negotiate it."
Despite the decision from Chestnut, Shea went out of his way to clear up any confusion about a ban by MLE and even left the door open for the conflict to be resolved.
"Everybody wants him there. He is not banned. We would love to have him there this year, next year. Anytime. But it is a conflict to have him be the Nathan's champ while he's representing a rival hot dog brand."
When asked by WQAM's Marc Hochman if he hoped this conflict could be worked out to keep Chestnut competing in the event, Shea was adamant he "would work it out tomorrow. I would work it out on July 3rd. I would work it out on July 3rd of next year. Joey is always welcome at the 4th of July. He is in my opinion, the 4th of July. He is freedom made man. America needs that hero."