A press release announces the launch of ESPNW.com, an online channel devoted solely to women's competitions. The Nathan's women's finals is listed on the ESPNW.com schedule at 2:25 pm eastern, before the start of the 3pm program on ESPN.

June 18, 2012 at 1:00 pm by ojrifkin · More posts about:2012 Nathan's Hot Dog Contest, ESPN | Permalink * Comments (18)

18 Comments »

  1. Anonymous said

    June 18, 2012 @ 3:41 pm

    Exactly like I said a few weeks ago: don’t assume that “coverage” means the contest will air in its entirety on television.

  2. anonymous said

    June 18, 2012 @ 6:43 pm

    Wow thats going to really suck if its not aired in its entirety. I was expecting Superpaul to join forces with Rich Shea for that one

  3. Anonymous said

    June 18, 2012 @ 8:14 pm

    It’s a man’s world and competitive eating is a man’s sport. Hats off to ESPN!

  4. Anonymous said

    June 18, 2012 @ 9:24 pm

    I’m sure it will air in its entirety on the internet. And nobody will watch.

  5. anonymous said

    June 18, 2012 @ 11:04 pm

    All the female exhibitionists like Maria Edible who load up with the makeup hoping someone out there will notice them , is screwed. 30 second highlight at best. ESPN is not going to boost your modeling career. Look somewhere else

  6. Boy does that suck said

    June 19, 2012 @ 12:32 pm

    Honestly that sucks big time for the gals.. I was expecting the contest to air on ESPN tv in its entirety prior to the mens finals. Watching it on the net is not the same . Like watching BB corner on your computer. More like a spit in the face to the women if you ask me. Like the kiddy table at wingbowl. It all comes down to $$$ and cents. Look on the bright side though, there is big purse money at stake and thats what counts.

  7. uhhhhhhhhhhhh said

    June 19, 2012 @ 12:36 pm

    Next time ESPN or MLE should get the story straight. Is it airing on ESPN or ESPN 4 5 *& 6 west ESPN east ESPN south east ESPN southwest. ESPN womans league ESPN amateur womans league

  8. Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)

    June 19, 2012 @ 12:53 pm

    That’s not fair. I was counting on watching Nathan’s this year, just for the women’s division. Since only the men’s contest will be televised, I’ll just record it via DVR and play it back on the nights I have trouble sleeping.

    That tactic worked well last year, but it’s time to replace my year-old AV version of NyQuil. As a sedative, it really does the trick.

  9. anonymous said

    June 19, 2012 @ 1:00 pm

    Rhonda, like the women’s division is any less boring. Sonya and Juliet kick everybody’s butts, Lesco, Edible and Larell are in their own little division, and the rest are there to have lunch.

  10. anonymous said

    June 19, 2012 @ 1:05 pm

    There was a time way back when 1979 81 when ESPN tv was about as popular in viewership as a public access channel or C-span They have grown immensely over the last 30 yrs.

  11. anonymous said

    June 19, 2012 @ 1:10 pm

    Any woman that qualified without getting a free trip to Coney and lives in Bismark ND or states not worth mentioning on the map, should think twice about investing hard earned cash to fly to NY unless they have money to burn or love the taste of Nathans dogs

  12. That's to bad said

    June 19, 2012 @ 1:21 pm

    I know it’s still in its infant stage but at this rate (How ESPN views the women’s contest) it’s hard to imagine the Women’s division sticking around to long (3-5 more years’ maybe)… It seems like all the guys who made the final table had their girlfriends qualify, which is cool, but they’re doing it with only 7-10 ish…

    Yeah, a new shinning light came on the scene in the Deep fried Diva who has a bubbly personality that is good for MLE, Maria and Michelle’s skills have improved but I don’t really ever see them keeping up with the Big Boys (and Sonya).

    I hope it catches on, but in it’s sophomore year, it doesn’t seem like it progressed, I think it actually digressed because MLE lost Stephanie Torres who while, dull as a door nob, may have passed Juliet this year and maybe Challenge Sonya in another year or two.

    What I wonder though is, “IF” the women’s division gets axed, will these women continue to eat with MLE under the regulations of the contract.

  13. Who cares said

    June 19, 2012 @ 1:35 pm

    Sonya, Juliet, LMM, and yes, Maria, will get plenty of face time throughout the week on the nets, newspapers, morning shows, and ESPN for that matter in the run up to this thing. Sorry Crif Dogs Classless, but Nathan’s still the biggest show in town during the July 4 week. So, if you’re a fan and want to watch the woman’s contest live go watch it that ESPN woman’s channel. That’s often more that’s available for other contests that occur throughout the year and a step up from last year. And, I’m sure ESPN will do a fine covering it live on their new woman’s channel they’ve set up, with a nice recap and interview of the gal eaters during the hour long show on the main ESPN channel during coverage of guy’s contest. If a gal was just doing this event for tv attention I really can’t feel bad for her because she probably wouldn’t have even made it to Coney without having a woman’s division. So, it’s still a win for them too and any attention they do get will be more than they got last year sitting on a couch watching it from home. Believe me, I’m sure all the gals will get the full Nathan’s experience (parties, weigh-ins, media attention, etc.) in relation to their name recognition and eating ability. I really don’t see what the big deal is.

  14. Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)

    June 19, 2012 @ 2:35 pm

    I don’t think too many people (especially men) will agree with you,1:00, that watching the women’s division is boring. Of course, a few will.

  15. anonymous said

    June 19, 2012 @ 2:42 pm

    Rhonda, this isn’t beach volleyball. It’s an eating contest. The girls are cute, yes, but they’re all in t-shirts and shorts (well, Juliet and Edible will be showing some midriff) and stuffing food in their face. Not high on my list of fantasies, but there’s a fetish for everyone. If they broadcast it on ESPN and the women wore bikinis, they’d have the highest ratings ever.

  16. Rhonda Evans said (Registered March 6, 2008)

    June 19, 2012 @ 2:49 pm

    So often Sonya’s name is thrown around as the standard to which other up-and-coming female eaters are compared. I think that causes a lot of resentment toward Sonya, and that’s unfortunate.

    Regarding Stephanie Torres’ ability approaching Sonya’s level, I don’t think so. But, having said that, that is in no way a knock against Stephanie. That young woman is one of the best (eaters, period!) on the planet!

    And how many female eaters can even begin to compare with the likes of Juliet, Edible, Larell Marie, and Cardboard Shell? Very, very few. You don’t have to be one of the top 10 to merit being one of the best in the world, man or woman.

    Far too often we get caught up in the attitude that you’re either first or one of the last, either you win it all or you are nothing, and that is completely ignorant.

    Even if you’re a “lowly?” #50-ranked, look at how many people you’re ahead of … in ANY sport! There’s nearly an infinite # of people between first and last.

    The endlessly-filled glass is always more than half-full and we need to drink up!

  17. Mary Bowers said

    June 19, 2012 @ 3:59 pm

    In a country where more than half of girls over the age of 12 admit to struggling with self esteem and body image, isn’t it time to consider that perhaps the women’s division has a different cultural appeal than the men’s? All of the women in this year’s contest are strong, capable, amazing examples of what it takes to follow your heart, whether they are at the top of their game or have room to grow. Give these women some credit for their accomplishments at the table and as individuals. They are already doing more than what most people (men or women) would dare to do and they are doing it in spite of the nasty remarks and snide comments from their critics. No matter what the extent of the media coverage, people ARE watching the women’s field. Women and girls (just like them) are looking for evidence that you do not have to starve yourself to be beautiful, that you do not have to be the best to play the game, and that sometimes all it takes to make a difference is to simply be yourself… even if it is a man’s world.

  18. Larellmarie said (Registered May 9, 2010)

    June 19, 2012 @ 4:35 pm

    Mary – Amen to that! Gr8 take on it. Rhonda – thx! 🙂

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