16-time Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest champion, Joey Chestnut, has been banned from competing in the 2024 event due to a contract dispute with Major League Eating. Chestnut, who has an endorsement deal with Impossible Foods, claims the terms of his agreement were changed after the fact, preventing him from participating. The dispute is being managed by George and Richard Shea, who run MLE. This ban adds Chestnut to a list of competitive eaters who have seen their careers stall over contract disagreements with MLE, including Takeru Kobayashi and Matt Stoney. Despite the ban, Chestnut remains open to a possible return to the Nathan's contest in the future. In the meantime, fans can catch Chestnut in other eating competitions, including an event at Fort Bliss and a matchup with Kobayashi on Netflix.