JOEY Chestnut's absence from the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest will prove a bittersweet experience for his rivals.
The competitive eating legend is not taking part in the iconic annual Coney Island Fourth of July event after organizers effectively banned him over a partnership with a plant-based hot dog competitor brand.
Instead, he is heading to Fort Bliss, Texas for a five-minute eating contest against four soldiers on an army base.
Chestnut's absence from the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is expected to impact viewership on ESPN – and wider interest in the event.
But his no-show will also create a new men's champion for the first time since 2015 and give his competitors a far greater chance of victory.
And rival Nick Wehry believes this year's event has the potential to be more exciting than it has been in years due to the complete uncertainty about who will win.
"As a competitor, it's a bittersweet thing because Joey is a multi-time champion and what have you, but that does open the door for new blood ultimately to be crowned," Wehry told The U.S. Sun.
"So you have myself and four others guys who are the top five who are going to be basically fighting to the death on Thursday, giving everything we've got to be the new champion.
"I think it's going to be really exciting and going down to the final minute and maybe less than a whole hot dog and who wins the contest."
He adds: "I think like any sport, like Tom Brady retiring or Michael Jordan or people taking a year off, whoever wins that year.
"It doesn't change anything about the contest other than the fact that Joey was the favorite."
Wehry does not believe that Chestnut was guaranteed to win on Independence Day despite his history of success in recent years.
Chestnut devoured a record 76 hot dogs in 2021 – but his final tally declined to 63 in 2022 and 62 in 2023.
Meanwhile, Geoffrey Esper came second last year with 49, James Webb was third with 47, and Wehry gobbled 45 to come in fourth.
"Joey lost in 2015. People can say what they want that Joey was guaranteed to win," Wehry said.
"But he ate 63 and then he ate 62 and his numbers have gone progressively down.
Joey Chestnut will not be allowed to compete in this year's Hot Dog Eating Contest because of a new sponsorship.
Chestnut has won 16 Fourth of July contests and in 2021 are 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
The hot dog eating competition is run by Major League Eating and sponsored by Nathan's - a famous wiener brand.
And Chestnut has signed a deal with plant-based Impossible Foods.
That makes it impossible for him to now compete in the Nathan's contest, unless something changes.
Chestnut said he was 'gutted' by the news he won't be allowed to defend his title.
"Two of the other four guys behind him, their numbers have progressively gone up.
"And anyone who thinks they are unbeatable on any given day that's the day that they lose and that's what happened nine years ago.
"Miki [Sudo, Wehry's wife] is the only undefeated champion on the Nathan's stage, not Joey Chestnut.
"The fact is he lost before and there's a chance he would have lost again."
Wehry still believes that fans will tune in for the curiosity factor – and to see an exciting competition.
"Good, bad or indifferent, it's entertainment, it's a contest," he said.
"You don't tune in to watch Joey Chestnut eat hot dogs, you...want to see who's going to win.
"It's a competition, it's not the Joey Chestnut eats hot dogs exhibition.
"I think maybe to start the broadcast, maybe the numbers will be down but I guarantee by the end the numbers will be at where they've been or possibly even up.
"I don't see why as competition goes, it's not more exciting."
Major League Eating, which organizes the Nathan's contest, took issue with the fact 16-time champ Chestnut signed a deal with Impossible Foods, which makes plant-based hot dogs.
Wehry hopes that Chestnut will resolve his issues with organizers Major League Eating.
"Joey is a good friend, I'd love to see him square it away," he says.
"But ultimately what I'd like to see happen is what's best for everybody involved - Nathan's, Joey, Major League Eating, Impossible Foods, whatever...
"Whatever is going to be best for the league and Joey, hopefully there is something mutually beneficial that can happen but if not that's kind of the nature of sports and competition.
"I guess we'll see how it goes."
