Joey Chestnut may not be participating in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest this year, but he'll still be housing franks on the Fourth of July.
Major League Eating banned the 16-time champion from the famed contest as a result of his new sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods. Still, it's become tradition to watch Chestnut dominate the playing field on Independence Day, and he won't let down his fans.
Chestnut will participate in his own hot dog eating contest at Fort Bliss in Texas. The 40-year-old will compete in a four-against-one battle, pitting his eating skills against four U.S. Army soldiers to raise money for military families.
Here's what to know about Chestnut's own hot dog eating contest on the Fourth of July, including how to tune in for the festivities.
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Joey Chestnut hot dog contest live stream
Fans can watch Chestnut's hot dog eating contest live on his YouTube channel at 5 p.m. ET Thursday, July 4.
Joey Chestnut hot dog contest start time
- Date: Thursday, July 4
- Start time: 5 p.m. ET
- Stream: YouTube
Chestnut's competition will go live at 5 p.m. ET Thursday, on his YouTube channel. The proceedings will include a preliminary pizza-eating contest featuring Fort Bliss soldiers, the hot dog eating contest with Chestnut and a question-and-answer with Chestnut.
The four-against-one hot dog eating contest will feature a five-minute time limit, half the time allotted at the Nathan's event.
Fans who click the link before 5 p.m. will see a countdown as well as an option to notify themselves when the stream is live.
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Is Joey Chestnut's hot dog contest on TV?
Chestnut's hot dog eating contest will not be broadcast on TV. While families may be accustomed to seeing his face on TV each Fourth of July, they'll only be able to watch his alternative competition on YouTube.
The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest will remain on TV despite Chestnut's absence. The famed event is set to start at 10:45 a.m. ET with the women's competition, followed by the men's competition at noon ET. The men's competition will air on ESPN2.
MORE: Breaking down vegan hot dog drama behind Joey Chestnut ban
Why isn't Joey Chestnut in Nathan's Hot Dog Contest?
Chestnut inked a deal with Impossible Foods, a company that creates plant-based alternative meat products. It recently released a plant-based hot dog and signed Chestnut to endorse it.
Major League Eating, which organizes the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, bars competitors from endorsing rival products, which effectively banned Chestnut from competing due to his new sponsorship deal.
"Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him at the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. We hope he returns when he is not representing a rival brand," MLE said in a statement.
This isn't a permanent ban, though. MLE and Nathan's are reportedly willing to allow Chestnut to participate in future competitions if he meets their conditions.
