There is a bar hosting kobayashi and he will still do the contest, just not officialy

On the Fourth, when the Coney Island eaters start gobbling their dogs, Kobayashi plans to stuff his face at 230 Fifth Ave. — near a giant plasma TV airing the Nathan's event live.

also

If the six-time champion can eat more hot dogs than the crowned winner at the Coney Island event this Fourth of July, thus making him the "would be" champion for his seventh title, Jose Cuervo has offered him an all expenses paid trip to its historic Tequila distillery, La Rojena, located in the heart of Mexico's Tequila region. In addition, Cuervo will immortalize him with a customized bottle of Especial Gold that dons his image on the label.

zimz

United States510 Posts

July 04 2011 04:35 GMT

#25

this is lame. koboyashi help build the coney island eating contest popularity to new heights. dam corporate greed.

BlackJack

United States10498 Posts

July 04 2011 04:38 GMT

#26

This one event was kind of the unofficial world championship of competitive eating and it is ruined by it not being an open event. Hopefully enough awareness is raised by Kobayashi's boycott that the event starts to lose its prestige and have no choice but to return it to an open event.

kittensrcute

United States617 Posts

July 04 2011 04:39 GMT

#27

Aww, that's too bad. I remember watching Kobayashi a few years ago and quickly became a fan (I guess, I don't really follow competitive eating but I cheered for him whenever I saw it on TV).

Athos

United States2484 Posts

July 04 2011 06:10 GMT

#28

this is just really sad. Let him eat indeed.

Tehs Tehklz

United States330 Posts

July 04 2011 07:45 GMT

#29

On July 04 2011 12:08 Zooper31 wrote:
It's absurd you need to sign a contract to a company giving them complete control over your for a year just to enter a freagin hot dog contest.

Anyway. The winner of this competition is going to have an asterisk next to their name because the real champion wasn't allowed to attend.

Kobayahsi hasn't been champion since 2007. He lost 3 years in a row to Chestnut before Major League Eating wouldn't let him compete. We'll see how many hot dogs he can eat this year, but the guy is certainly not the favorite.

Sworn

Canada920 Posts

July 04 2011 08:02 GMT

#30

Lol sorry but that arrest video is funny people screaming USA while a competitor is arrested because he's not signing a contract. Hopefully he will be allowed to compete i find it bullshit from the info i've read so far.

Flare123

United States3 Posts

July 04 2011 08:16 GMT

#31

What kind of contract disallows you from eating hot dogs. If anything, they should sponsor him to wear a company shirt or something.

If he can't be at the competition, he should stream himself eating hot dogs at the same time as Coney Island and compete from home (or wherever he is).

Zirith

Canada403 Posts

July 04 2011 08:25 GMT

#32

Sometimes I think the world would be a better place if every asshole was sent to Australia. (or some other largish place that is out of the way)

Woulda loved to see a vid of him eating 50+ hot dogs instead...

Every news thread I read makes me more disgusted by humanity XD

Tehs Tehklz

United States330 Posts

July 04 2011 08:40 GMT

#33

The contract issue is because Major League Eating has taken over the competition and, in order to compete for them, you have to sign an exclusivity contract. It is the same way that KESPA controls BW progamers and the NFL controls its football players.

tomatriedes

New Zealand5356 Posts

July 04 2011 08:50 GMT

#34

Wow, Kobayashi has the heart of a true champion.

edc

United States666 Posts

July 04 2011 08:52 GMT

#35

Is the strategy to succeed in this competition to not eat for 24 hours before it starts? I think I could down about 10 or so.

hiyo_bye

United States737 Posts

July 04 2011 16:48 GMT

#36

This is an intense competition. As I write this, Bertoletti has 24 and Chestnut has 25 with 7 minutes left; could history be made today?!?

Gescom

Canada3397 Posts

July 04 2011 16:50 GMT

#37

How is Kobayashi doing?

I_Love_Bacon

United States5765 Posts

July 04 2011 16:52 GMT

#38

I can't stop laughing. There was a line by the announcer saying that if Chestnut wins it'll be his 5th title, making him the Bjorn Borg of the smorgasbord.

hiyo_bye

United States737 Posts

July 04 2011 16:53 GMT

#39

Kobayashi isn't in the competition but i heard he was gonna eat simultaneously on livestream, not sure though.

I guess I'll continue my LR

8:15 Bertolotti finishes up his 48th, Chestnut already working on 53 as we reach the 1:30 left mark.

10:00 Joey Chestnut wins his 5th title after stuffing the 62nd hotdog in his mouth with just seconds left.