Fans never want to see Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest without Joey Chestnut again

Joey Chestnut was effectively banned from the 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest due to a branding dispute between Nathan's, MLE and Chestnut, who signed a deal with meat alternative brand Impossible Foods. But that made it one of the most wide-open Fourth of July competitions that we've seen in quite literally decades.

Geoffrey Esper was the favorite with Nick Wehry and James Webb behind him on the odds board for the 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. However, it was Patrick Bertoletti who came in huge for this contest, a +750 bet to win the contest, came out on top over the No. 2-ranked eater in the world, Esper. He finished with 58 total hot dogs eaten to earn the mustard belt.

That was a personal best for the new champion, Bertoletti, who previously consumed 55 hot dogs in 2011. It was a huge win, an upset, and a close race to the finish line. And yet, all fans wanted and could think about was missing Chestnut in the contest and seeing true competitive eating greatness on display.

Fans don't like the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest without Joey Chestnut

The general sentiment was that this Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest just wasn't the same.

Some people didn't even bother to watch without Chestnut competing.

Perhaps the best reaction, though, was the 2020 Los Angeles Dodgers taking a stray because of this as they won the World Series in the COVID-shortened season.

To be fair, there were some fans who enjoyed a Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest with some actual drama and knowing that Chestnut wasn't just running away with the belt this year.

Now, some people might be looking at the 58 hot dog and bun total for Bertoletti and actually be thinking that he did Chestnut proud considering that the 16-time champ won last year in 2023 with 62 hot dogs. However, there is a key difference. Conditions were basically perfect for the 2024 contest with temperatures sub-80 degrees and not even a bright sun shining down. That's in contrast to the prior year when it was in the 90s with beating sun. 62 hot dogs in that weather would've been 70+ today.

Hopefully Major League Eating and the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest can find some common ground with Chestnut before the 2025 event. It's still fun, it's still gluttonous on the Fourth of July without Jaws but, at the end of the day, we want to see the GOAT go to work, and we didn't get that on Coney Island this year.

Chestnut, however, will compete in a 5-minute contest on July 4 at 5 p.m. ET with four Army soldiers at the Fort Bliss base outside of El Paso, TX.