While fireworks and beaches may be off-limits in certain parts of the country this year, there’s one tradition of Independence Day that you can still count on: Nathan’s hot dog eating contest.
The annual wiener-wolfing competition will once again air live on ESPN on July 4, but, like other professional sports, the 2020 installment is almost undone by the COVID-19 pandemic.
After all, Nathan’s event usually features tight competitors gulping down sausages in front of thousands of fans cheering him on. This year’s installment had to be radically restructured to get the green light.
According to George Shea, president of Major League Eating, the organization hosting the event, it appeared that the league would have to cancel this year until officials find a way to move forward with a safe setting. This year, competitors will be on stage in a warehouse where they will be seated six feet apart and separated by Plexiglass dividers. Shea tells Yahoo Life that the adaptations would not provide “the same vibe and energy,” as when there would be 15 diners, 20,000 to 25,000 fans, and up to 100 members of the media covering the contest.
The crowd “would really amplify them,” says Shea of the contestants, but now she’s tasked with providing all the excitement on-site.
Still, Shea anticipates some exciting developments in the 2020 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest. Shea predicts that 12-time winner Joey Chestnut will take home the men’s title. The competitive feeding legend, whom Shea calls “an American hero,” could also break his own world record of 74 dogs. As for the women, Shea believes that Miki Sudo will win another championship, stating that “she will erase the competition.”
Sudo has taken the title every year since 2014. But this year, not only does he have his eyes set on the world championship belt, he has set himself an even higher goal. “It is time for her to finally take that world record,” she tells Yahoo Life. Sudo admits that the lack of fans presents a challenge.
“It really helps to have that crowd to feed on,” explains the six-time champion. Still, as soon as the competitor found out that the event would move forward, she “started running,” and Sudo believes she will enter the 2020 competition “stronger than ever.”
Nathan’s hot dog eating contest “is my favorite day of the year,” Shea says, while also expressing pressure to deliver it to the television audience. The event may seem different, but the important part is that the organizers keep the tradition alive.
Unfortunately, there will be some contestants who will not be able to attend. The event takes place at Coney Island, and as a result of travel restrictions, competitors from Arizona and Washington will not be able to reach New York.
Despite the changes, fans can expect excitement, and perhaps even the creation of a competitive eating history. Nathan’s Hot Dogs is also using the event as a platform to raise awareness of the importance of the country’s essential workers. The company will donate 100,000 hot dogs to New York City food banks to help those in need during this challenging year.
Nathan’s hot dog competition will air on Saturday, July 4 at 12 pm ET / 9 am PT on ESPN.
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