Editing Takeru Kobayashi (section)

== Contractual dispute and Nathan's Famous ban ==

===July 2010 controversy===
On June 28, 2010, Kobayashi announced he would not compete in the Nathan's Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Competition, reportedly due to the company's insistence that Kobayashi sign an exclusive contract.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://calorielab.com/news/2010/07/03/feds-grant-takeru-kobayashi-special-visa-for-extraordinary-ability/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709084635/http://calorielab.com/news/2010/07/03/feds-grant-takeru-kobayashi-special-visa-for-extraordinary-ability/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 July 2012 |title=Feds Grant Takeru Kobayashi Special Visa for "Extraordinary Ability" |publisher=Calorielab.com |date=3 July 2010 |access-date=25 June 2013 }}</ref>

On July 4, 2010, Kobayashi was in attendance watching from the crowd at the Nathan's International Hot Dog Eating Contest. Wearing a black T-shirt that read "Free Kobi", Kobayashi mingled with the crowd, standing inside a police-barricaded pen just under the stage. After the competition ended, the spectators began chanting his name loudly, demanding that they "let him eat". Accordingly, Kobayashi indulged their wishes by climbing up onto the stage to a thunderous ovation. Although he was initially ushered by security officers up to the stage, one security officer (thought to have been requested by George Shea) arrested him from behind, and Kobayashi began resisting and thrashing his body around at the officials attempting to commandeer him. A struggle ensued, eventually resulting in Kobayashi being thrown against the barricades and tossed into the fences before finally being handcuffed and placed inside a police car. Some witnesses reported that Kobayashi was simply intending to shake the hand of the winner, Joey Chestnut, as a gesture of sportsmanship and goodwill. This has led analysts to believe that Kobayashi was fully intent on a contract renegotiation with MLE, and that congratulating Chestnut loosely resembled a "peace offering" from Kobayashi.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/415463-chestnut-wins-for-4th-straight-year-kobayashi-arrested|title=Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2010: Joey Chestnut Wins for Fourth Year|date=4 July 2010|work=Bleacher Report|access-date=4 July 2010|archive-date=1 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001221339/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/415463-chestnut-wins-for-4th-straight-year-kobayashi-arrested|url-status=live}}</ref> Co-host and MLE President Richard Shea stated that "[Kobayashi] tried to jump on stage during the awards ceremony to disrupt it."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/04/2010-07-04_joey_jaws_chestnut_wins_nathans_july_fourth_hot_dog_eating_contest.html |title=Joey 'Jaws' Chestnut wins Nathan's July Fourth Hot Dog Eating Contest |date=4 July 2010 |work=New York Daily News |access-date=4 July 2010 |archive-date=6 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706215818/http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/07/04/2010-07-04_joey_jaws_chestnut_wins_nathans_july_fourth_hot_dog_eating_contest.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was charged with resisting arrest, trespassing, and obstructing government administration and subsequently was taken to jail, awaiting an appearance in [[Brooklyn Criminal Court]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38086913/ns/sports-othersports/ |title=Kobayashi arrested after Chestnut's hot dog win |date=4 July 2010 |publisher=NBC Sports |access-date=4 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709030959/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38086913/ns/sports-othersports/ |archive-date=9 July 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Kobayashi's interpreter and publicist, Maggie James (later, his wife),<ref name=henderson/> said he had originally gone in hopes to cheer on his fellow competitive eaters, but after arriving at the venue only to hear support from the fans demanding that they "let him eat," he was swooped onto the stage due to the excitement. She said "There's a contract dispute, they weren't giving him his freedom.  It was unfair."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38086913/ns/sports-othersports/ |title=Kobayashi arrested after Chestnut's hot dog win – othersports |publisher=nbcsports.msnbc.com |date=4 July 2010 |access-date=5 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130709030959/http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/38086913/ns/sports-othersports/ |archive-date=9 July 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Kobayashi told reporters he had a sandwich and a glass of milk while being held. "I am very hungry," he said. "I wish there were hot dogs in jail."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/news/story?id=5355723 |title=Takeru Kobayashi freed from jail, pleads not guilty to charges from post-hot dog contest arrest |publisher=ESPN |date=5 July 2010 |access-date=5 August 2010 |archive-date=8 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100708202527/http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/news/story?id=5355723 |url-status=live }}</ref> On August 5, 2010, all charges against Kobayashi were dismissed by a judge in Brooklyn.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyle/u-s-charges-dropped-against-japanese-speed-eater-idUSTRE6743Z1/ |title=U.S. charges dropped against Japanese speed-eater |work=Reuters |date=August 5, 2010 |first1=Basil |last1=Katz}}</ref> Despite his record six consecutive victories in their annual event, Nathan’s removed Kobayashi’s image from their "Wall of Fame" in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |last=Buiso |first=Gary |title=Whitewashed! More disgrace for Kobayashi as Nathan's removes him from 'Wall of Fame' |url=http://brooklynpaper.com/stories/34/17/all_nathanswall_2011_4_29_bk.html |work=[[The Brooklyn Paper]] |date=5 August 2008 |access-date=4 July 2011 |archive-date=30 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430123839/http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/34/17/all_nathanswall_2011_4_29_bk.html |url-status=live }}</ref> After Kobayashi left Nathan's, the hot dog contest lost sponsorship from [[Old Navy]], [[Heinz Tomato Ketchup]], and [[Pepto-Bismol]], and its year-to-year Nielsen ratings fell. With an average 0.7 HH U.S. rating, it was off a tenth of a point from 2012, when it aired on ESPN. [[ESPN]] averaged 1.949 million viewers for 2011’s Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest but went down 41%, to 1.15 million viewers, in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Final Nielsen Ratings From Recent sports Telecasts |date=8 July 2011 |url=http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2011/07/08/Media/Nielsens.aspx |access-date=9 November 2013 |archive-date=9 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109231840/http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2011/07/08/Media/Nielsens.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=With an average 0.7 HH u.s ratings |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-joey-chestnut-andy-581834 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |first=Michael |last=O'Connell |date=8 July 2013 |access-date=9 November 2013 |archive-date=16 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240716052125/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/tv-ratings-joey-chestnut-andy-581834/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===July 4, 2011 competing events===
In 2011, Kobayashi was still barred from the annual Nathan's event due to the contract dispute. On July 4, he competed on the rooftop of a Manhattan bar, 230 Fifth, for the duration of the Coney Island contest.<ref name=fleischaker>{{citation |last=Fleischaker |first=Emily |title=Takeru Kobayashi's Declaration Of Independence |newspaper=[[BuzzFeed]] |date=July 3, 2013 |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/emofly/table-for-one-why-competitive-eatings-first-superstar-is-in |access-date=May 27, 2024 |archive-date=May 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527152114/https://www.buzzfeed.com/emofly/table-for-one-why-competitive-eatings-first-superstar-is-in |url-status=live }}</ref> Two official judges from the Athletic Association of NY observed Kobayashi while the live broadcast of the event played next to him on a large television screen. Kobayashi finished 69 hot dogs, one more than the officially recognized world record at the time.

===July 4, 2012 competing events===
In 2012, Kobayashi was still barred from the annual Nathan's event due to the contract dispute. Kobayashi ate 58.5 at Crif dog classic, eating a different type hot dog from Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/05/us/new-york-competitve-hot-dog-eating/index.html |work=CNN |title=Kobayashi actually bested in hot dog eating bonanza, officials say – CNN.com |date=6 July 2012 |access-date=5 July 2013 |archive-date=21 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521002426/http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/05/us/new-york-competitve-hot-dog-eating/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===July 4, 2014 competing events===
Kobayashi ate 113 bunless Nathan's hot dogs at 230 Fifth.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nypost.com/2014/07/04/the-most-american-photos-of-the-day/#19 |title=the-most-american-photos-of-the-day}}</ref>