Bertoletti: $500 + royalties for MLE game likeness

Pat Bertoletti appeared on the Steve Dahl show today. One of the subjects was the upcoming Major League Eating video game and the compensation received:

6:23 Sometime during this week there’s going to be a Nintendo Wii competitive eating game. There’s new software for he Wii where you can download games, including the competitive eating game. It’ll feature Patrick, Joey Chestnut, The Black Widow, Kobayashi and 6 or 7 other eaters.
6:24 Patrick’s character looks freaky because they went with his mohawk and mustache look. All of the eaters got some money and were told there’d be royalties depending on games sold.
6:25 It sounds like it’s about time for Patrick to get representation. He doesn’t like the way he looks in the game and now he’s probably not getting as much money as he should be getting. He should have gotten money up front against the royalties.
6:26 Every eater got $500 up front but there were no specifics about the royalties. It sounds like he got ripped off.
6:27 Patrick signed a contract with the IFOCE and they own his image. That contract is up next year. We might have to go in and Urlacher it.

The press release for the Houston gyro contest lists Joey Chestnut, Pat Bertoletti, Bob Shoudt and Erik Denmark as expected entrants.

Comments (12)

12 Comments »

  1. Fan of IFOCE said

    May 16, 2008 @ 1:57 pm

    What? The IFOCE doesn’t even take care of one of their top eaters? Say it isn’t so. Good thing he only has another year on his contract. Then maybe he’ll be able to truely get what he deserves.

  2. Anonymous said

    May 16, 2008 @ 2:08 pm

    Guys, you’re in a fucking video game. Be happy.

  3. Lily said (Registered April 26, 2008)

    May 16, 2008 @ 2:25 pm

    wow, only 500 bucks!? sounds like a ripoff… that sucks that the ifoce owns “his image”, but they have to meet at least halfway somewhere! if I was anyone’s agent (which I am only a mere 7 months or so for my degree in sport management <– shameless plug, I know 😉 ), I would have done somethin so that my client is happy! and joey’s character looks nothing like him either! it’ll be interesting to see how the game sells, I would get one for sure if I could get my hands on a wii. they’re so hard to get here where I live ;-(. the game looks like fun from the mlegame website, kinda like a street fighter-ish game but with a competitive eating edge, lol.

  4. Rhonda Evans said

    May 16, 2008 @ 2:25 pm

    Gyro order of finish (as I think this is a “waterdrinking” food: 🙂
    1. Joey
    2. Pat
    3. Bob (if Tim doesn’t show; Tim will get third if he does show.)

  5. Rhonda Evans said

    May 16, 2008 @ 2:28 pm

    Pat doesn’t have the bargaining power of a Koby, Joey, or Sonya. He either goes along for the ride with the IFOCE or eats at picnics.

  6. Steakbellie said (Registered August 11, 2006)

    May 16, 2008 @ 2:28 pm

    I’m not kidding, I would have PAID $500 to be in that game. I didnt know it was one of my goals in life, until I heard it announced. How cool would that be for your kids to play a game that you’re in!

  7. anonymous said

    May 16, 2008 @ 2:36 pm

    ad a zero & maybe theyd let you in steakbellie

  8. Steakbellie said (Registered August 11, 2006)

    May 16, 2008 @ 2:56 pm

    painfully true….

  9. Lily said (Registered April 26, 2008)

    May 16, 2008 @ 3:05 pm

    yea to be in a video game is awesome.. but I was just trying to say I would want more say in the image that would be displayed. some eaters do have more bargaining power but at least they should give more consideration to the others. I believe in competition and “power” but fairness thrown in there too .

  10. Erik the Red said (Registered January 9, 2006)

    May 17, 2008 @ 3:42 am

    I will not be eating Gyros today, unfortunately. Somehow, Seattle to Houston is more expensive to fly athan anywhere else in the country. I don’t think they will allow dunking though in the contest, which is a good thing.

  11. SyKoBOZO said (Registered September 17, 2007)

    May 17, 2008 @ 3:56 am

    the Gyros are going to be interesting,the ones we saw at the event today are pretty big with lots of meat ,onions,tomatoes,and that thick pita style bread,its gonna be a tough food for sure. I will post results as quickly as i can afterwards.Have A Nice Day 🙂

  12. SPBBBMB said

    May 17, 2008 @ 7:15 am

    I’m with Steakbellie, except my “budget” would let me pay about $0.56. I thought Pat was one of the cooler-looking ones in the game.
    I haven’t got a check from nowhere since my book published back in 1986. The eaters will get royalties – that was a cool thing with my book, twice a year, you’d never know how much, or exactly when, but it was like Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate) when it showed up.
    Speaking of “control”, I wrote, created, and drew that thing, but had no idea what the final product looked like. They used another artist to do the final drawings, cut out about 2/3 of my original manuscript, but kept the one-liners, and even the “spirit” of my drawings intact.
    Once you sign that contract, it’s their baby – and, frankly, just like the MLE video game, I was glad to get my book published, excited to prove my parents wrong (that I could get a book published), and gladder to get the money.

    Bubba told me nobody got paid for “The Science of Speed Eating”, which I found hard to believe, considering the “intrusion” into everyone’s lives. So, If you made the video game, enjoy it, and enjoy any money you get from it – you’re lucky!!
    …..but, yes, it is better to have control of your image, content, etc., just not realistic in our embryonic stage of “fame”.
    My head hurts, that was too much thinking for this time of day, somebody pass me a hot dog

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