Joey Chestnut announces discontinuation of MLE contract
In the latest episode of Barstool Sports Pardon my Take podcast, Joey Chestnut announces that his MLE contract will expire at the end of this year and he is open to the possibility of a matchup with Takeru Kobayashi in 2023. (video clip)
The end of this year is going to be a weird year for me because my contract with Major League Eating and Nathan’s is going to be over. So it’ll be my first year in a long, long time that I can actually eat against Kobayashi. So me and him could find a way to compete because he’ll never compete with Major League Eating again because they have just a childish contract dispute, but there’s a chance that I might be able to eat against him.
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It is interesting that even after declining a MLE contract extension, Joey Chestnut still calls Takeru Kobayshi’s schism with the organization a “childish contract dispute”.
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Anonymous said
July 14, 2022 @ 8:02 am
If Joey thinks Kobayashi had a childish contract dispute, even Joey doesn’t understand the meaning of the contract. You cannot eat Nathans and then eat a different brand of hotdogs in a contest sponsored by that brand. What is there to understand? Kobayashi received poor advice from his now wife, and his English is poor. This was not a problem until Kobayashi moved to the US. Joey is trying to get more from the Sheas. I think if Joey were to leave MLE it would not be terrible at all. He doesn’t give good interviews and is not interesting as a person. Others, except in hotdogs, can beat him. He is nowhere near as famous as Kobayashi and never will be.
Anonymous said
July 14, 2022 @ 11:10 am
Why is that interesting. Joeys had a contract for 20 years. Now may want to explore some other options. He’s accomplished what he wanted to do. Kobi come out every year saying he was “banned” and they won’t let him compete when he actually knows he’ll get his stuff packed in at hot dogs if he actually competed there
Anonymous said
July 14, 2022 @ 12:47 pm
The current ESPN contract to cover Nathan’s Expires in 2024, Joey has the Shea’s over a barrel.
Anonymous said
July 14, 2022 @ 2:47 pm
I’m sure Nick is foaming at the mouth after hearing this news.
Anonymous said
July 14, 2022 @ 3:49 pm
I wonder whether or not Joey’s health is a factor. And also that he is beatable except in hotdogs.
Anonymous said
July 14, 2022 @ 8:55 pm
Notice how Joey only talks about Kobayashi . Nothing about Killer Kennedy or Molly Schuyler . This just shows that no matter how good Kennedy and Schuyler are , there nothing compared to the Legend Kobayashi
Anonymous said
July 15, 2022 @ 10:35 am
For Joey, Kobayashi was the great champion who needed to be dethroned to establish his own legacy. I’m sure that rivalry continues to live rent-free in both men’s imaginations.
Molly may well be among the 2 or 3 best eaters in the world. She has still never beaten Joey (or Koby, for that matter – at least not officially) or threatened his primacy in the sport. She also hasn’t accomplished anything as otherworldly as doubling the prior hot dog eating record as Koby did. Her steak feats are unbelievable, but eating steaks quickly is not the gold standard for competitive eating that Nathan’s hot dogs are.
Joey and Stonie has a decent rivalry for a time, but time has shown that Stonie simply can’t compete at the level Joey can.
Anonymous said
July 15, 2022 @ 11:29 am
Joey is only looking for more money. What else is there that he would want? He has to retire at some point for health reasons. So jump on the opportunity.
Anonymous said
July 15, 2022 @ 5:28 pm
Joey is at the point where he needs a big exit his own hot dog brand would be a huge accomplishment since Nathan’s is now a Chinese owned brand. Nathans are not the same product they once were. They sold out America to the Chinese and don’t want you to know. It’s time for a new American hot dog company to steal this show and make it Americanized.
Anonymous said
July 15, 2022 @ 6:32 pm
Molly has also never challenged Joey nor said she would defeat him. Deep down Miki knows she is a threat to her hot dog throne but Molly doesn’t seem to care.
Anonymous said
July 15, 2022 @ 7:00 pm
Joey is not interested in eating with anyone except Kobayashi and only MLE members in contests. I think he wants a big salary to be Joey Chestnut.
Anonymous said
July 16, 2022 @ 3:25 am
Anyone find it funny Nick blamed his poor July 4 performance on the guy who stormed the stage?
Anonymous said
July 16, 2022 @ 11:34 am
Where did Nick blame july 4 on that?
Anonymous said
July 16, 2022 @ 7:23 pm
@ 11:34 check IG
Anonymous said
July 17, 2022 @ 8:23 am
@7:23 I just did. He said he “should’ve done better regardless” and said sumthing about his cups spilled. That doesn’t sound like blame. So what are you talking about?
Frank Futer said
July 17, 2022 @ 8:47 pm
Joey is just trying to pump some life into this dying non-sport. Look at what MLE has beyond him: A pathetic embarrassment to the human race like Conti. A two ton walking heart attack like Booker. An unlikeable convicted felon & her steroid freak husband who looks like a retard pinhead. A doctor who threw her Hippocratic oath in the garbage for a few minutes of glory. In the womens field you have a bunch of nobodies with absolutely no talent who should never be on any stage anywhere but think they are stars because they ate a few hot dogs in front of a crowd. They don’t even realize the Sheas are playing them for fools & making 100% profit off of them. The fact that this abomination is still going on in the 21st century shows Americans are dumb as dirt & would elect a con man like Trump for President. There is no hope for the human race as long as folly like this exists.
Anonymous said
July 18, 2022 @ 2:59 am
8:47. You are just full of joy
Anonymous said
July 18, 2022 @ 11:17 am
Maybe they just enjoy what they’re doing? Glad you can judge everyone from your perfect tower
Anonymous said
July 18, 2022 @ 12:46 pm
Hope to see Joey in future hotdog contests MLE or other, but I would not blame him if he is negotiating for more money.
There was no excuse for protesters rushing the stage. It has happened before, and they could have been actual threats. (especially when Joey was in the middle of doing something no other human at this time can do)
Joey shouldn’t feel bad at all… that is on the staff responsible at Coney.
Most everybody who watched thought he did exactly the right thing.
Anonymous said
July 18, 2022 @ 1:31 pm
8:47, jealous much? No one weighs two tons. Why insult people. Ah, you can do it anonymously. Have you ever participated in something you like? Or are you just nasty. Look at the publicity the people you mentioned generate. Just google. The Sheas are not making fools of anyone. Each person chooses to compete or not. They enjoy it. There are even very good friends who see each other at times other than contests. Booker is one and the nicest person on the planet. Write something positive.
Anonymous said
July 19, 2022 @ 10:55 am
Look up Badlands Booker and Conti and all of the people you mentioned on Google. See how much press they have generated. It is really a shame that you write such nastiness about so many. Tell us your press and your stats. Then maybe we will pay attention to you, though likely we will find nothing.
Dog Eat Dog said
July 19, 2022 @ 3:03 pm
Hey 10:55, google Charles Manson and Osama Bin Laden. They generated a lot more press than some two-bit competitive eaters. This is a CE site so of course you no-life losers who watch this crap are going to stick up for these nobodies. If you think how much press a person generates determines their worth you have a lot to learn about life.
Anonymous said
July 19, 2022 @ 4:48 pm
3:03 Hey. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Booker#Accomplishments
Do you model yourself after Manson and Bin Laden? Makes sense.
Ham Burgler said
July 19, 2022 @ 11:56 pm
That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever read. Only on EatFeats would someone consider shoving huge amounts of food down your throat to make yourself grossly obese an accomplishment. HILARIOUS!!!
Anonymous said
July 20, 2022 @ 11:38 am
11:56. You make a good point. He isn’t the only one not in shape but he is certainly the most obese.
Anonymous said
July 20, 2022 @ 3:14 pm
Stick up for these nobodies? You spend your free time going after these “nobodies”……while they don’t know or care who you are……so who’s the nobody?
Anonymous said
July 21, 2022 @ 9:21 am
3:14 very well said. Competitive eating is easily explained. The eaters enjoy the activity, spectators enjoy watching whether on tv or in person. The sponsors promote their product and the Sheas make it all happen. Of course they make money. And the press spreads the word. Unfortunately, with so many hateful remarks, eaters and readers have stopped coming to this site or have stopped posting because of the lack of respect shown here toward so many. OJ cannot be the moderator of the comments deciding which ones are more hateful than others. They are hurtful. I am mystified about why the writers could feel good about themselves in doing such harm.
Anonymous said
July 21, 2022 @ 3:08 pm
@ 8:47 pm most of those “nobody” ladies get a free trip to NYC every year. It’s fun. Stop taking life so seriously.
Anonymous said
July 21, 2022 @ 7:04 pm
So do all women competitors on July the 4 th get a free plane ticket ?
Anonymous said
July 22, 2022 @ 10:18 am
I believe you have to eat a certain minimum amount to get a free plane ticket.
Anonymous said
July 23, 2022 @ 2:52 pm
Don’t need a comment section
Anonymous said
July 23, 2022 @ 8:48 pm
80 plus% of comments are middle school mentality if that. It is too bad because eaters used to comment but gave up. OJ is excellent and deserves better. He does miss some articles about eaters though.
Anonymous said
July 28, 2022 @ 4:27 pm
Scrap the comment section. Just post the articles. The comments are making this sport look bad. Save competitive eating and drop the comments
Anonymous said
August 7, 2022 @ 4:09 pm
427 spot on. This is not good for comp eating
Anonymous said
August 13, 2022 @ 4:51 pm
Comments from face stuffers lol!