 competitors can't promote a rival hot dog, a hot dog that rivals Nathan's Famous. Major League Eating says this provision's been on the books for years. Because Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs is sponsoring the whole July 4th event, you're not allowed to be on the payroll of a competitor. No exceptions. This event actually has a history of enforcing restrictive non-compete clauses. Before Chestnut, the world's most prolific eater, Takeru Kobayashi, refused to compete because of contractual demands.