The prize breakdown for the Crif Dog Classic has been announced: $15,000 / $5,000 / $2,500 / $1,500 / $1000. (I have not seen the 2012 Nathan's finals payouts listed; I assume they will remain the same as 2011 ($10,000 / $5,000 / $2,500 / $1,500 / $1,000) for both divisions.)

25 Comments »

  1. hmmm said

    June 8, 2012 @ 4:26 pm

    Sad that Crif pay out is more than MLE. Pretty sure the eaters are getting exploited for pennies on the dollar.

  2. Brooklyn Native said

    June 8, 2012 @ 4:48 pm

    The worlds highest paying hot dog contest is Crifs Dog Classic! In the WORLD.!Wow! Congratulaions!

    Can’t wait to see this inaugural event. History will be made at Crifs this fourth.

  3. Crif Dogging MLE said

    June 8, 2012 @ 5:04 pm

    MLE will raise the cash payouts for Nathans or they will be the laughing stock of Brooklyn and the nation. They have to.. to save face. Competition is good… right? Now MLE has some,,,lolsss, in the same city on the same day.

  4. Anonymous said

    June 8, 2012 @ 5:04 pm

    I predict record post!!!

  5. Naader Reda said

    June 8, 2012 @ 5:41 pm

    This year’s West Coast Hot Dog Eating Championship might trump Nathan’s as well. Depends if the owner of Derby Deli follows through the plan he had last year.

  6. Anonymous said

    June 8, 2012 @ 5:43 pm

    The payout is likely set up because Kobayashi demanded $15,000, it is a ridiculous jump to go from 15 to 5 and everyone knows that no one, absolutely no one, is going to come close to Kobayashi. Anyway, every single competitor who makes it to Nathans should get some kind of payout. Most likely all have paid their own way to compete. And people are being charged to go and watch, so its a party and a demonstration really. Not carried by television, no comparison to ESPN.

  7. Anonymous said

    June 8, 2012 @ 5:49 pm

    Who else thinks 2012 will be the inaugural and last year of the Crif Dog Classic? I vote Yes!

  8. MOTIF said (Registered September 3, 2011)

    June 8, 2012 @ 5:51 pm

    At first I was looking and this and shaking my head, as it seems Crif’s truely it just trying to mess with the Nathan’s Hot Dog contest, but claims not to have it in their interest. BUT after reading Crif Dogging MLE’s comment, “Competition is good….right?” I have a different look at this. Any company who owns a monopoly can charge rediculous fees for their product at insane profit margin, but once competitors come in they have to punch it down and notch in order to stay on top. This in turn helps the consumers. In this case, its without a down that Nathan’s is a powerhorse over Crif’s, and has the resources to do so. By Crif’s uping the ante here, it most likely will force Nathan’s to compete, reduce its profit margin by increaseing cash purse, and in turn help out all the Eaters (consumers) [no pun intended].

    This is good. Nathan’s has the money. If they choose to up the prize money this helps the eaters, if they choose not to it will exploit them for being incredibally frugel. My bet is that we will see a $30k cash purse from Nathan’s this year, and I’m hoping for it.

  9. Math Thew said

    June 8, 2012 @ 6:03 pm

    Crifs Is NOT paying out more. How is 25000 more than 40000?

  10. Krystal Ball said

    June 8, 2012 @ 7:07 pm

    Motif,

    That’s exactly what I’ve been saying all along about the Crif Dog contest. What if Wal-mart didn’t have Target to compete with, they would exploit their workers even more so then they do now… To be far to NAthan’s though, the do offer up $40K in prize money $20K for both men and women….

    The crif dog prize is set up in favor of Koby, we can all see that, but if you look at all the other winnings, they are exactly the same as what Nathan’s pays out… Pat B or Janus will be putting down 45-55 at Nathan’s and make the same as Goose Gilbert who will probably do 30-33. Wonder what the pay out for the guys who do 30-33 at Nathans will be?

    I’m only hating on MLE in the sense that they take 70-80% of all the money that comes in… Maybe this will open some of the eaters eyes to take thier talents elsewhere if they aren’t being compensated accordingly.

  11. Anonymous said

    June 8, 2012 @ 8:51 pm

    Nathan’s will not up the ante. Doing so would be like admitting that Crifs is a viable competitor of Nathans and MLE. Where is Crifs being televised? On a local public access channel, maybe? That doesn’t compete with ESPN, which will televise Nathan’s through ’17. Nice of Crifs to pay out a lot of money. Koby loves it.

  12. MOTIF said (Registered September 3, 2011)

    June 8, 2012 @ 9:18 pm

    @6:03 that’s a really good point, but the problem is that that’s not how 90% of the public will view it (and the media will possibly exploit it)

    Also, I think he’s had this talk before with you before, I like your creativity but please don’t assume.

  13. anonymous said

    June 8, 2012 @ 11:52 pm

    Look, for starters if Nathans wanted to do the right thing they would invite the great Moses Lerman to Coney Island on July 4th and present him with the 3rd place trophy from 2001 that rightfully belongs to him and not Charles Hardy

  14. anonymous said

    June 9, 2012 @ 8:10 am

    Honestly Joey Chitwood does not deserve 10grand for eating hot dogs. A sufficient enough prize structure should appear this way 1st place 2yr supply of Nathans dogs 2nd place 1 yr supply 3rd place $50 Nathans gift certificate 4th place buy one hot dog get one free Nathans coupon . Same should apply for women division

  15. Anonymous Cuz MLE Does Not Like Ship Jumpers said

    June 9, 2012 @ 3:03 pm

    Fantastic debut for Crifs Dog Classic. I kind of now wish I wasn’t locked into MLE’s one sided contract as I’m not in the loop for the contest rigging or a spot at Nathans. I could have done local contest and actually made a few bucks last year even a small town pie contest is off limits. This will be my last year. $15,000 for a winner of a food competition… isn’t that the highest ever paid for winning a CE contest? OJ do you know?
    Thanks

  16. Anonymous MLE ship jumper said

    June 9, 2012 @ 8:55 pm

    Come to the other side Anonymous Cuz. The water is warm and anybody is welcome.

  17. anonymous said

    June 10, 2012 @ 9:19 am

    Anonymous Cuz: you do realize that the $15,000 is basically an appearance fee for Koby, unless you’re Joey, you have zero chance, even if you were independent, to get that money. Not saying that you’ll do any better with MLE.

  18. capn brian said (Registered November 17, 2010)

    June 11, 2012 @ 9:44 am

    am i the only one bothered by the fact that you have to buy a ticket to go see this crif dog business? of course their prize $ should be higher if they are charging admission. nathan’s is free and always has been. no comparison.

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

    June 11, 2012 @ 10:02 am

    It never bothered me until you mentioned it. … Dang you capn brian! 🙂

  20. Anonymous said

    June 12, 2012 @ 11:29 am

    Kobi demanded $10k just to show his face. Then demanded $15k as the prize of a contest that he helped pick who eats. Yeah- u kidding me? Who the hell would even do that to them self? The usual goofs. The list of eaters is laughable.

  21. Anonymous said

    June 12, 2012 @ 12:23 pm

    This event is nothing more than a Fourth of July Party with tickets prices, then I assume people will be buying, seems like a one time thing for publicity for the restaurant and the product, if it works and is worth their investment, then maybe Kobayashi will do commercials for the brand but it seems like the whole thing is very very small potatoes, small company. Seems very similar to last year’s demonstration, air conditioned or not, just brought lots of people to a place so that that place could get publicity, Kobayashi makes a big cash day then has to go on to the next opportunity.

    He really blew it imo leaving MLE. But maybe he likes this appearance fee thing only, he surely has no competition as in NONE. I am really surprised though because he seemed to really love REAL competition and wanted to regain his Nathans crown. Perhaps his new “manager” led him astray.

  22. a smart guy said

    June 12, 2012 @ 12:52 pm

    If he is able to pick up 15 or 20 grand for a few minutes of work when others have to work an entire year at a job to net that amt after taxes, i would say this guy is a pretty smart cookie. If his rent is paid he could just live off the gravy for a while

  23. Say what!? said

    June 12, 2012 @ 1:06 pm

    Kobi is sleeping on Tim Brown’s couch?

  24. Anonymous said

    June 21, 2012 @ 6:49 pm

    According to the website, http://crifdogclassic.com/, the event will be live streamed on SI.com

  25. anonymous said

    June 21, 2012 @ 7:03 pm

    Oh thats just great you will have as many people tuning in as Go Go curry simulcast. Get ready for shoddy webcam, buffering and freeze ups. Better show up at the event or this is what you get for nuthin

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